Alex Grant & the Phoenix Song: Year One
by GeneralWildfire
Summary: Well known throughout America, Alex is the second person to survive the infamous killing curse, but the circumstances surrounding that fateful night may not be as similar to another famous wizard's as people believe...
1. Chapter 1: Legend of the Night

**I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! I'm sorry the first chapter is so short, but the next ones will be longer! **

***Note: Harry and company probably won't be appearing in this series until the third or fourth segment of it.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**Legend of the Night**

A tall man paced in front of a ranch style house, his navy blue robes billowing behind him. Pausing for a second, he ran a hand through his, already tousled, black hair. Just by looking at him you could tell that he was no older than twenty. Casting a frustrated glance at the sky, he went back to pacing. Rustling sounded from the bushes behind him, causing him to whip around, pointing a polished stick at the brush.

"Relax, Jackson," a voice said, accompanied by several growls, as a large, black wolf, shoved its way through the brush. A gold chain was around it's neck, a red stone hung at the end of it. The stone glowed as the wolf growled, a voice accompanying the growls, "It's only me."

The man, Jackson, continued to point the stick at the wolf, "What age was I when we first met?"

"Easy," the black wolf growled, the stone glowing with each growl. "You were eleven and were taking your first Potions lesson, and I emptied your cauldron since you made a pathetic excuse of a dittany based potion."

Jackson relaxed, lowering his arm that held the stick, "I'm sorry, Ben, but SOMEONE betrayed us tonight, they knew we were coming."

The black wolf, Ben, nodded, "I'm sorry for your loss, Jackson. Your father was a great man." Neither spoke for several seconds after this statement was made. Ben finally said, "Has anyone else arrived?"

Jackson shook his head, "No, however, there have been messages attached to the portkeys saying that everyone is okay except…"

"The Grants?" Ben guessed.

Jackson nodded, "Yes. I fear the worst for them…their portkey arrived, no note or anything came with it, though."

"I don't like this," Ben growled, his hackles rising. "Where's Bill? He was with the Grants as well!"

"That's who I'm waiting for," Jackson murmured.

Ben looked uneasy, "You don't think that _He_ got to them…do you?"

"I'd wish you'd use his name, Ben," Jackson said, a small smile crossing his features. "Do I believe that Lord Zytol got to them? Perhaps. With the way the night has been going, I wouldn't doubt it."

Ben growled in frustration, "How could they have known though? How?"

"I already told you my suspicions," Jackson stated.

Ben snapped, "But who? Who amongst us would betray us to _Him_? What could _He_ have possibly offered them to convince them to betray us?"

"I don't know," Jackson muttered. "If either my father or I had suspected that this could happen amongst our close-knit group, we would have taken extra precautions."

Ben looked skeptical, "I didn't think you and your father could come up with more precautions for the plan."

Jackson's expression darkened, "We should have taken more precautions…perhaps my father would still be alive…"

Silence settled over them once again. Both lost in their own thoughts. The night slowly wore on, the full moon making its progress across the sky.

A shadow fell across the pair, causing them to look up. A shadowy figure of a man on a broom descended towards them, the light from the full moon casting the figure's features in shadow.

The figure landed heavily, black hair that had, at one point, been tied in a pony tail, hanging sporadically about him, as he released the one-handed grip that he'd been holding the broom with, while the other arm cradled something.

Ben stalked forward, teeth bared, and his hackles bristling, "What did you have the impudence to say when you first saw me in this form?"

"When did Professor Read get a mutt," the man answer, swaying a bit. Jackson rushed forward and steadied the man.

Ben demanded, hackles still bristling, "What happened? Why are the Grants not with you? You were the backup transportation if they missed their portkey!"

"They're dead," the man stated bluntly. He took a shuddering breath, his free hand going to his right shoulder, touching the wound that was still bleeding, "I was attacked at the waiting point by the Black Hunters, by the time I got to the Grants house…" He took another shuddering breath, "It was demolished, a gaping hole in the north wall; Lutore, my back-up, was searching among the remains for any survivors…I asked him what happened, since knowing him, he wasn't too far away, but he said he'd only tell you, Jackson." He hadn't released his hold on whatever was in his right arm, though it was apparently taking a toll on the man's strength.

"What are you holding, Bill?" Jackson asked suddenly, spotting the bundle in Bill's arm.

Ben's ears pricked forward as he sniffed the air, "That scent…?"

As if in answer to Jackson's question, the bundle in Bill's arm started to cry.

"Their daughter?" Jackson exclaimed, taking the baby girl from Bill, relieving the man of the bundle. Bill lowered his arm gratefully.

Bill explained, "She was among the remains of the house."

"So, Lord Zytol is gone than?" Jackson inquired.

Bill nodded, "Lutore found no remains of him, and he knows that he never left the house…that's about all he told me…"

Jackson looked thoughtful as he gazed down at the child in his arms, studying her, "I believe Lord Zytol is gone…at least for now."

"What makes you say that?" Ben demanded, as he padded over to Jackson and rose on his hind legs to get a better look at the child. He got back onto all fours, his eyes wide with shock, "There's a lightning shaped scar over her right eye!"

Bill peered over Jackson's shoulder, "You know what, I didn't notice that, but than again, I'm lucky I figured out how to mount my broom." He frowned as he remembered the last part of Jackson's statement, "What do you mean 'at least for now?'"

Jackson didn't answer, merely muttering, apparently lost in thought, "I have to discuss these circumstances with Lutore…"

"Hey!" Ben barked as Jackson started to walk away from the pair, "Answer Bill's question, Jackson! Jackson…? Jackson!" He bounded after the younger wizard.

Bill sighed, glancing up at the sky as a large silhouette blocked the moon's light with it's enormous bulk for a brief second.

Unbeknownst to the two men and wolf, rumors were already starting to spread. Rumors that were saying that the bane of the land, Lord Zytol had been undone by a mere baby girl who they were calling, "The Legend of the Night" since they did not want to copy the Europeans by calling her "The-Girl-Who-Lived".


	2. Chapter 2: The Famous Squib

**I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! **

***Amendment to the Note from Last Chapter: Harry and company will not appear until the fifth segment of this story, however, some characters will be brought in (sort of) before then, I don't want to give too much away ;3**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 <strong>

**The Famous Squib**

Almost eleven years had passed since that fateful night and Bob and Marge Grant had woken up to find their niece on their doorstep, only minutes after they had heard the news of Lord Zytol's demise.

After nearly eleven years their house was neat and clean, the occasional knitting needles working away on a small sweater or socks, an occasional owl flying in through the window to deliver the mail, a typical Wizarding family. There were even picture frames, the two little girls in them moving in and out of the frames, and smiling happily. The only evidence that there was an older girl in the house was one picture of the entire family, where the older girl in the photo kept trying to exit the frame, though the man in the photo kept a firm grip on her shoulder.

The older girl was different from those in the photo, her hair being a bright red, while the rest of the family had muddy brown hair. The other difference between her and the others was the unusual shaped scar over her right eye, a lightning shaped scar that a person's eyes couldn't help being drawn towards. Besides the one photo, there was no other evidence of the older girl's presence in the house.

Alex Grant was there though, asleep, though not for much longer. Her Aunt Marge was already awake, and was about to make the first noise of Alex's day.

"Get up!"

Alex woke with a start, sitting bolt upright, and managing to smack her head against the low ceiling of her room, the attic. Her aunt rapped against the door on the floor of the attic.

"Get up!" she screeched in her shrill tone. Alex heard her descend the ladder that was need to get to the door, and head into the kitchen, where she heard a frying pan being roughly put onto the stove. Alex rubbed the bump she now had on her head, trying to remember the dream she had been having. She shook her head as she failed to recollect anything about the dream. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she flinched as her hand touched the scar tissue over her right eye. It had become habit, really; she hated the lightning shaped scar over her eye, the reason she was living with her aunt and uncle, and her two younger cousins. She stretched careful of the ceiling this time, and tried to wake herself up fully.

Her aunt rapped on the door again, having returned from the kitchen, "Are you up yet?"

"Yes," Alex called out. Adding in an undertone, "Nearly…"

"Then get down here!" Her aunt snapped. "We're going to go shopping at the mall since Cameron and Julie need some new clothes, and I want to get an early start!" She heard her aunt go back into the kitchen.

Alex groaned. She hated going out in public. Not only did the witches and wizards who were there stare at her, but so did the muggles, who had no idea who she was, which, in some way, she preferred. Alex got slowly out of bed and dug through her clean pile of clothes, pulling a couple spiders off of them. Living in an attic meant you had to deal with spiders among other things…

When she was dressed in a white T-shirt, and black shorts that didn't quite fit right, she headed downstairs, keeping out of her Aunt Marge's way as she made her way towards the table.

Her Aunt Marge was a petit woman, with a hawk-like face, and glare to match as she glared at people down her hooked nose. Her brown hair was always tied into a bun, and she was always wearing a dress of some sort. Having had a muggle for a mother, she was used to such things, and she made sure her children were as well.

She carefully set down four plates filled with food for herself, her twin children, and her husband, Bob, while she plopped Alex's own plate onto the table. Glancing at the other dishes quickly, she wasn't surprised in the slightest to see that everyone else had a larger portion than hers, but this was something else that she had grown accustomed to. It was the norm.

Cameron and Julie came down the stairs, wiping the sleep from their green eyes, the pair of them dressed in black shorts and blue T-shirts. The four-year-old twins hauled themselves into their chairs and started to eat their breakfast of eggs and bacon, though slowly, looking as if they'd fall asleep in them any second.

The twins had the muddy brown hair of their parents, and their mother's green eyes, but otherwise, they resembled their father more than their mother.

Alex's Uncle Bob came down the stairs just then, a once athletic Quidditch player; he was now a portly man, his hair starting to thin, and a cold look to his eyes, or at least he had a cold look whenever he was looking at anybody apart from his wife and two daughters. In Alex's opinion his look always became like the harshest blizzard in winter whenever he gazed upon her.

This morning was no exception either, as he shot Alex one frosty stare, before he kissed each of his daughter's on the tops of their heads, and he finally kissed his wife on the cheek. He commented as he sat down, "Well, Marge, breakfast certainly looks good this morning!"

"Only the best for my family," Aunt Marge said, beaming.

Alex assumed her bacon and eggs had been the first ones made, just due to how burnt they looked, but she didn't dare complain as she ate them.

Julie asked, still looking tired, "Why did we have to wake up so early? Is Alex going to catch golf balls for us again?"

When her Aunt and Uncle stiffened, Alex swore silently. Her Aunt and Uncle weren't very fond of her associating with their precious twin angels, much less showing off any skills that she might have, and flying on a broomstick while catching golf balls that the twins threw was one of them.

Throwing a furious look at Alex over her shoulder, Aunt Marge said, "No, not today, Dearest. We're going to the mall today to get you some new clothes."

This didn't go over well with the twins, who's expressions went from sleepy to close to temper tantrums within two seconds.

"We want to watch Alex catch the golf balls," Cameron said, definitely.

Aunt Marge tried to save the situation, "Daddy can do that for you later, he's a better flyer than Alex anyway."

Alex seethed silently in her seat at the lie that her aunt had just told. It was true that her Uncle Bob had once played for the West Coast Warblers, but he had been a Beater, and he had been hit quite a few times by the bludgers as well, so he wasn't as good a flyer as he once was.

The twins knew this fact as well, their voices indicating that they were close to throwing one of their temper tantrums.

"We want…"

"…Alex to!"

It never ceased to amaze Alex at how easily the twins finished each other's sentences.

"Alex can't!" Aunt Marge snapped. "She isn't supposed to be flying on a broomstick anyway, probably picking the lock on our broom shed like a common Muggle!"

True as that statement may have been, it still set Alex's blood boiling. She rarely asked for anything, and she rarely asked to use the brooms as it was, only to entertain the twins.

At this point, the twins were in a full blown temper tantrum and several pots and pans went flying across the room as they wailed.

"Enough!" Uncle Bob bellowed, startling everyone in the room.

He shot Alex the coldest look she had seen yet, before he said to Julie and Cameron, "Girls, I know you want Alex," he spat out her name. "To show you her flying, but we need to get to the store to get you new clothes, and while we're there, we'll even get you some ice cream, how does that sound?"

Crisis averted. The twins shot out of their seats and bounced around near the door, eager to head out.

Aunt Marge quickly ate her breakfast, as did Uncle Bob, while Alex choked her own down, before they all headed out to the car in the driveway. Aunt Marge slipped into the driver's seat, Uncle Bob, being a pureblooded wizard, had never driven a car, much less seen one before he had married his wife.

Julie and Cameron insisted that Alex sit between them in the middle, both clamoring for her attention as Aunt Marge drove them to the mall. Any regular eleven-year-old would have been driven insane by the pair, but Alex adored her cousins, so she swiveled her head this way and that as each twin asked for her attention. This was also a means of self-preservation as Aunt Marge and Uncle Bob, though they adored their children, couldn't deal with Julie and Cameron's attention seeking habits.

The one habit, or game, as Alex assumed it to be, was one where they kept saying Alex's name, and Alex would turn to look at each of the girls, who would giggle before the other twin called out Alex's name.

The drive to the mall didn't take long, considering that their home, on the outskirts of Blueridge, Utah, a quaint, medium sized town, with its two parts (historic and urban) clashing against each other on either side of the main street.

Alex wished the ride had been longer as Aunt Marge pulled into a parking space in front of the Blueridge Mall, and said, "We're here!"

The twins eagerly out of the car eagerly once they heard the engine stop, while Alex got out a bit more slowly, wanted to delay the moment when she'd be stared at by innumerable people.

She had barely taken a step away from the car, when she felt a hand grip her shoulder, and she heard her uncle practically growl in her ear, "No funny business today, Alex." He released didn't release her shoulder as he steered her after Aunt Marge and the twins.

Alex didn't know what he was warning her for, the twins were the ones that always did accidental magic. As Uncle Bob continued to steer her towards the mall entrance, she couldn't help wondering if she'd be as popular amongst all the witches and wizards if they knew that she was a squib, for what else could she be? She had never performed any sort of accidental magic that she could recall, and her Aunt and Uncle certainly liked to rub it in her face that she wasn't a proper witch. The only, slightly, magical thing she had done was fly on broomsticks in the broom shed, and anybody could do that as her Aunt Marge would say.

If her uncle hadn't been holding onto her shoulder, she would have stopped dead in front of the mall entrance due to how much she hated being stared at by people. Only the fear of her aunt and uncle kept her walking usually, but today, her hatred of it seemed worse, perhaps due to the morning's early happenings.

Whatever the case, Alex, reluctantly entered the mall, and several heads turned at once, their eyes filled with delight, obviously wizards. These wizards refrained from coming near her, however, so that they wouldn't cause a scene, but their stares were enough to make Alex angrier, though not at them, but at her aunt and uncle, who enjoyed parading her around like a show dog. These family outings were the only times that they would "dote" on Alex, pretending that she was just as loved and well cared for as Julie and Cameron, although, if no one was looking, they'd go back to treating her as they usually did, like dirt.

After the first wizards that stared, it became clear that there were only muggles in the store today, due to their stares of shock and horror when they saw Alex's scar. This led to Alex getting her usual treatment of being ignored by her aunt and uncle while they fussed over Julie and Cameron.

Alex's tolerance level for being paraded around was starting to reach its limit as they headed towards Jule's Delights, an ice cream shop, having already visited Teeny Tots (store for children's clothes), Bargin Joe's (store for hand-me-down clothes, for Alex, of course), Sweet Tooth (a candy store where Aunt Marge and Uncle Bob bought plenty of sweets for Julie and Cameron), and Sneaker Plus (to get shoes for Alex, whose pair was worn beyond reason). At each store Alex had found herself stared at by the muggles, with Aunt Marge and Uncle Bob practically beaming over the attention they were getting, and explaining to each muggle how Alex had gotten such a unique scar, today's story being that she had run into an electrical pole as a child and Uncle Bob heroically rushing her to a hospital. Alex tried to figure out how the muggles seriously didn't realize that the story kept changing by now, but she supposed that her Aunt Marge, who was fluent with Memory Charms, may have been the reason for that.

On the way to Jule's Delights, they passed Make a Cuddle Buddy, a toy store that allowed children to make their own, personalized stuffed animal from many different choices like birds, mammals, reptiles, etc. The flashy look of the place instantly attracted Cameron's attention, who then brought it to Julie's attention.

Cameron asked sweetly, "Mommy, can we go in there?"

"No, sweetie," Aunt Marge said. "We're going to get ice cream, remember?"

"But we want to make a Cuddle Buddy," Julie chimed in.

"No, I'm sorry," Aunt Marge stated.

Cameron and Julie came to an abrupt halt, with Cameron whining, "But Mommy, we want to make Cuddle Buddies!"

Aunt Marge knelt down in front of the twins trying to get them to remember how much they had wanted ice cream earlier, while Uncle Bob kept walking, with Alex following him, not wanting to get involved in one of the twin's temper tantrums.

Without realizing it, Alex was soon walking beside her uncle, who then put his right arm (though roughly) around her shoulders, and she soon saw why.

Two wizards, a tall muscular man with no hair and shrewd brown eyes, the other wizard being slightly shorter than the first, having black hair and a small mustache, approached them.

Alex recognized the men as being co-workers to her uncle, who all worked at the same apothecary, her uncle being adept in potion making.

"How you doing today, Bob?" Asked the bald wizard.

Uncle Bob smiled, "Good, just taking the family out for a day at the mall." He pulled Alex against his side, while she tried not to look like she was being tortured.

"Are you having a good time, Alex?" The shorter wizard, who she remembered was Tim, inquired.

Not needing the warning squeeze on her shoulder from her uncle, Alex replied, forcing a smile onto her face, "Oh yeah, loads!"

Tim smiled at her, "That's good. I'm sure Bob's been taking as good of care of you as ever."

"Of course," Uncle Bob said, stooping to give her a kiss on top of her head.

This was taking the charade too far. Fake hugs, fine. Fake smiles, fine. Fake happy family, fine. A kiss on top of the head was pushing it!

The glass windows in several shops shattered as the twins screamed, something they did when they didn't get their way.

Tim and other wizard glanced at the twins, "Quite a magical pair you got there!"

"You have no idea," Uncle Bob said, though his tone sounded sour. "You'll have to excuse Alex and I!" With that, he shepherded Alex towards Aunt Marge and the twins, before he steered them out of the mall and towards the car.

Once they were on the road, the twins were crying silently, still upset that they hadn't gotten their way, but knowing better than to whine or complain after what had happened in the mall. Aunt Marge was tight lipped with Uncle Bob still looked like he had bitten into a sour lemon.

When they got home, a handsome Eagle owl was waiting for them in the kitchen, a letter tied to its legs, Aunt Marge strode over to the owl, while Uncle Bob carried in the twins. Alex gazed at the letter eagerly, hoping beyond hope that it was a letter for her.

Uncle Bob set down the twins, who were asleep, and noticed her eager expression, "Don't get your hopes up, squib!"

Alex quickly looked away while Aunt Marge opened the letter, and tittered here and there over something in the letter.

Turning to Uncle Bob, she said, "Trixie wants to know what houses we believe Julie and Cameron will be in once they are of age to enter Lutore."

Uncle Bob smiled, "They'll be Slipotts, just like their parents!"

"Indeed they will be," Aunt Marge said, beaming at the sleeping twins. "I guess I'll write to my sister now…"

Alex remained where she was, standing in the kitchen, wishing that Lutore had never been brought up. Lutore was the highly prestigious Wizarding school in America, and she dreamed of going there, just so she could get away from 67 Broadview Road, Blueridge, Utah, the place where she was currently stuck at. She was worried though, since it was drawing nearer and nearer to the start of the school year, and she still hadn't received a letter, though, she supposed that they didn't send out letters to squibs, no matter how famous they were.


	3. Chapter 3: Great Jones Alley

****I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! ****

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Great Jones Alley**

A week later, in the late morning, as Alex caught golf balls for her two cousins on the family broomstick, her cousins throwing them in all sorts of manners (basically, whatever would get the ball to go far) and she still had not received her letter to Lutore, which her aunt and uncle kept bringing up with glee. Alex always tried to be up early enough for the owl post, but her aunt and/or uncle were always up earlier, which Alex found a bit a bit suspicious, along with the fact that one of them was always in the kitchen.

She tried not to worry about those facts now though, as she caught yet another golf ball, this one only a foot or so from the ground, which caused Cameron and Julie to squeal and clap in excitement.

This was what she loved best about living with her aunt and uncle. The times she got to spend with Cameron and Julie alone, no Aunt Marge or Uncle Bob breathing down her neck and telling her she was useless, just the twins who always managed to make her feel like she was worth something, and not just a show dog to be paraded around in public then shunned when out of the wizarding public's eye.

Cameron threw a golf ball, whirling around several times before releasing it and falling onto her bottom. Julie laughed while Alex easily caught the ball in the air, adding a little loop-de-loop in her catch just for the twins' delight.

They both applauded, but Julie asked, "When are you going to get your letter to Lutore? Mommy and Daddy say that it's a week late already."

Alex landed on the ground, before she answered, trying not to show how much she hated her answer, "I'm a squib. I don't have a lot, if any magic. Lutore only takes wizards or squibs with more power than I have." Cameron and Julie stared at her with wide eyes. "But don't worry! It just means I get to spend more time playing with you two!"

This instantly perked them up, and they started to throw golf balls so fast that Alex actually missed a few of them, though the twins didn't notice.

Afterwards, while the twins ran off to the house and Alex put the broom back in the shed, she couldn't help wishing that she could go to Lutore, but with no letter, and it being a couple weeks late, she had little hope of actually attending.

Stepping into the house, she glanced hopefully at the spot where the post would usually be sitting, but one look at her aunt and uncle brought her hope crashing down around her.

Her uncle said, smiling at her, "No letter again, Alex, looks like you'll be going to a muggle school after all."

"You'd best keep up with your class," her Aunt Marge stated, giving her a cold look. "I do not want to hear from your teachers that you're behind the others."

Alex glared at the table as she sat down. How was she supposed to keep up with the others when, like all wizarding children, she had never attended a muggle school before?

"You'll start in a week," Aunt Marge continued. "So we'll have to go shopping for your things then."

Uncle Bob added, "The same week as you would have started at Lutore."

Not wanting breakfast any longer, Alex left the table, heading up to her room, trying to ignore the smug stares her aunt and uncle had on her back. Climbing up the ladder to the attic, she collapsed onto her bed, rolling onto her right side, facing away from the entrance to the attic, wishing she could be anywhere else, but mainly at Lutore. Her eyes lit on her poster, which someone had been giving out for free, of the Southern Spitfires, her favorite Quidditch team. Their scarlet and orange robes whipping like flames around them. Exasperated, she turned away from the poster, even her dream to play Quidditch was shattered now that it was definite that she wouldn't be attending Lutore, and, Alex had to face it, her letter would never arrive. She was a squib among squib, closer to being a muggle than a witch with any sort of talent.

Tears started to spill down her face and she rolled over, pressing her face into her pillow to hide her sobs. There was nothing special about her, nothing. Even the prestigious wizarding school in American agreed with her aunt and uncle, she was worthless. Nothing but a pretty show dog to be towed around, but otherwise useless for anything else, she was a waste of space, as her aunt and uncle informed her whenever they felt in the mood to.

She didn't know how long she'd been crying when she felt a weight on the right edge of her bed, and she froze, expecting a blow to come across her backside, if she was lucky, but nothing came. Trying to get control of herself, Alex sat up and stared in surprise at Julie and Cameron, who were gazing at her with wide, upset eyes.

"What's wrong, Alex?" Julie asked, looking close to tears herself as she saw Alex's tear stained face.

"Nothing," Alex said quickly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Cameron, the more perceptive one, said, "Something's wrong, since you were crying."

Alex stiffened in alarm, "Did you hear me?"

"No," Cameron answered, "when you left breakfast you looked upset."

"And you didn't come down for lunch, either," Julie added.

"So why are you sad?" they both asked, looking at Alex pleadingly, wanting her to tell them what was wrong.

Touched by her cousins' display of affection, she answered, "I'm just upset since I can't go to Lutore."

"Why can't you?" Julie asked. "You can fly on a broomstick!"

Alex smiled at her younger cousin's innocence, "I'd have to have a certain amount of magic to attend, and even for a squib I…I don't have a lot of magic."

"But you can fly on broomstick!" Cameron argued, as if that simple fact was a concrete reason for Alex's magical ability.

Alex shook her head, still smiling, "It's not enough..."

"But…" The twins made to argue further when they heard someone, or something pound on the door.

"What the…?" Alex said, getting up off her bed and opening the door to the attic to head downstairs, the twins following her, not wanting to be left alone in the attic when something was definitely trying to get into the house as the pounding on the door continued.

Frowning as she came into the kitchen, she wondered why her aunt and uncle weren't answering the door, since it was obvious, whoever it was, wasn't going to leave anytime soon.

Uncle Bob and Aunt Marge were staring at the door in horror. Apparently, whatever was on the other side was something they didn't want in the house at all. Alex was starting think it was a something outside the door rather than a someone, especially when her aunt and uncle drew their daughters close to them.

After ten minutes of insistent pounding on the door, it suddenly stopped. Both her aunt and uncle sighed in relief, but it was short lived as the door burst in with a loud bang!

Shrieking, Aunt Marge clutched her children to her while Uncle Bob stood up, wand drawn. A lot of good it did him since a male voice said, "Expelliarmus!" Her uncle's wand arched high in the air, and landed in the stranger's hand as he stepped out of all the dust that had been created from the door bursting in.

He was tall and lanky, with copper toned skin, high cheek bones, and long, black hair tied into a neat pony tail, with ebony wizarding robes, a crest on the left panel of the robes, that looked very familiar to Alex.

The stranger smiled at Alex, which was nothing new to her, what was different, was that his gaze didn't even go to her scar. This brought out a reaction from her aunt and uncle though.

"What the hell are you doing blasting in our door?" Uncle Bob bellowed.

The stranger's gaze rested on him with loathing, "Usually when someone knocks you answer the door."

"We could have been out!" Uncle Bob continued to bellow, getting red in the face with rage.

"I knew you were here," the stranger stated. "A simple spell showed me that you were all here, so I knew I could deal with the business that needed to be attended to here."

"And what business is that?" Uncle Bob demanded.

The stranger stuck his right hand into his robes and pulled out an envelope, a wax seal on it, "I have a letter to deliver, a letter that should have reached its recipient several weeks ago." He held out the letter and smiled at Alex, "Alex…I believe this is long overdue."

"No!" Aunt Marge snapped, standing up. "She's a squib!"

The stranger's gaze got a deadly look to them, "And when have we ever denied squib's entrance to our school?"

Aunt Marge shrieked, "When they've shown no magical ability at all, it'd be cruel to send her there!"

Alex doubted that her aunt was really concerned with cruelty being done to her, but she couldn't help silently agreeing either. She was a squid. Did she really have the right to go to Lutore with no magical abilities?

"Besides," Aunt Marge pulled out her wand. "As her guardians, we have to give our consent for her to go, and we-!"

"Expelliarmus," the stranger said, almost lazily, her aunt losing her wand. "The headmaster thought this might happen, which is why I'm here." He smiled at Alex once more, "Why don't you go pack? I'll help you in a second."

Alex remained where she was, she hadn't even taken the envelope, "Who are you?"

"Professor Bill Looncra of Lutore School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Care of Magical Creatures teacher and game keeper," Bill said, introducing himself.

That was all Alex needed to hear, "So…I should have gotten a letter from the school several weeks ago?"

Bill nodded, "Yes." He cast a dark look at her aunt and uncle, "We have ways of knowing if students receive their letters or not and the Headmaster knew Alex wasn't getting hers."

"She doesn't belong there!" Aunt Marge shrieked. "She'd be better off at a Muggle school! You can't possibly believe that this squib…!"

"She has the ability!" Bill snapped, losing his temper, sparks flying from his wand's tip. "We have our ways of knowing if a young witch or wizard has the ability or not!" This left her aunt and uncle silent, though they gaped like fish out of water, trying to find something to say. "Go pack, Alex," Bill stated, walking towards her.

Assuming that she was to lead the way, Alex led him up to her attic room. Alex found the cord for her light and yanked it down so that she and Bill could see better; glancing cautiously at the professor, his expression was unreadable as he said, "Well, pack whatever you have. You won't be becoming back here till the end of the school year." He held out the envelope, "And you will want to read this…" With a flick of his wand, several luggage bags appeared, and Alex was grateful that Bill had seemed to understand that she hadn't had any.

Instantly perked up, Alex set to work packing, she would read the letter once she had packed; meanwhile Bill kept an eye on the entrance to her room, probably assuming, like she had, that her aunt and uncle would make another attempt to stop her from going to Lutore. They never tried though, probably because Bill still had their wands, however, Cameron and Julie came up, tears in their eyes.

Cameron sniffed loudly, "Do you really have to go?"

"We want you to stay!" Julie cried, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Before Alex could answer either of them, Bill said, "She'll be back for the summer, and she'll have lots of stories to tell you about school…she'll probably even write to you."

Alex was amazed at how easily Bill had diffused that situation, Cameron and Julie actually helped her to pack.

Once she had finished, Alex eagerly opened her letter, Cameron and Julie watching, even though they had only started to learn how to read, they were just as curious as she was about the letter. The school crest graced the top of the page along with the words:

Lutore School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Dear Ms. Alex Grant,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Lutore School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. You will find enclosed a list of supplies needed for the school year.

Term begins on September 1st. We look forward to seeing you at the start of the school year.

Yours sincerely,

Selena Moonblood

Selena Moonblood

Deputy Headmistress

After reading this letter, Alex glanced questioningly at Bill, "Don't they want an owl to give them my answer?

"Do you not want to go?" Bill asked skeptically.

Alex blushed, "Well, no, but…"

"They know you're attending," Bill stated, smiling.

Cameron said excitedly, "Show us the list!"

"Yes! The list!" Julie shouted.

Obliging, Alex unfolded the second letter and read it:

Lutore School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Headmaster: Jackson Corbit

(Order of Merlin: First Class)

Uniform:

First-year students will require the following:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain, pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (preferably dragon hide)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Course Books:

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

Grade One: Book of Spells by Celestia Goldheart

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Beginner's Transfiguration by Emmett Rup

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Potion Making by Waldo Snippert

Simple Magical Creatures by Juliet Ericson

A Guide to Defensive Magic by Wolfbane Bloodstone

Other Equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Even with the remark about the broomsticks, Alex found it hard to contain her excitement. She was going to Lutore. She was actually going to Lutore! Seeing the grin spreading across her face, Cameron and Julie started to smile as well.

Bill, seeing that she had finished reading, asked, "Ready to go?"

"Now?" Alex asked, feeling elated at the thought.

Bill nodded.

"Okay," she said, standing up. Cameron and Julie led the way back downstairs to the living room.

Upon seeing her aunt and uncle, Alex felt a spark of rage at what they had done. They had kept Alex's letters away from her, claiming that she hadn't received any.

Cameron and Julie were now begging their parents to let them go with Alex, and when they were told, in furious tones from their parents that they couldn't, they started to cry, and several picture frames had their glass crack in response to the magic.

Alex sighed, she was still showing no magical ability, even now. She started to head towards the door, carrying her stuff, and she was thankful that Bill didn't ask her to say goodbye, she had no good feelings towards her aunt and uncle, though she did say to, a still crying, Cameron and Julie, "I'll see you this summer, and I promise to write!" This seemed to perk them up a bit, though her aunt and uncle looked like they wanted to protest, or say that she wouldn't be welcome.

Bill, who had some of her luggage, said before he erected the door, repairing it, "She will be coming back at the end of term; she is not to be turned out from here." And with that he waved his wand, "Reparo!"

As soon as the door rose up and was fixed, Bill's personality seemed to change drastically. His serious expression seemed to have vanished, replaced by a grin that didn't seem to want to go away anytime soon. His eyes seemed to be constantly laughing now, nowhere near being serious, like they had been inside, "Now we need to get you your school supplies. I normally wouldn't travel this way, but since we can't really use brooms or a fireplace…" He held out his right arm. "We'll have to apparate."

Alex said, having seen her aunt and uncle apparate before, "I don't know how to apparate, sir."

"Not a problem," Bill said, still grinning. "We'll be doing side-along apparation, and please, don't call me "sir" outside of school. I'm just Bill when I'm not teaching."

Cautiously taking his proffered arm, she practically dug her nails into his arm as he spun on the spot without any warning.

Alex felt like she was being compressed from many different directions, and just when the feeling became unbearable, they stopped, and Alex released Bill's arm.

Rubbing the spot she'd been clutching, he said, his tone teasing, "You're worse than some of the creatures I have to take care of!"

She smiled back shyly, unused to such teasing from an adult. Bill gestured for her to follow him, and she obliged, having to walk fairly fast to keep up with his longer strides.

He walked into an abandoned hotel building called "The Mystical Lounge" and Alex felt her heart race with excitement, knowing where they were and where they were getting her school supplies at as they walked into the, amazing pristine, hotel lobby, some witches and wizards at the front desk, while others were heading towards a door across the room.

People started to stare at them, though Alex knew it was mainly her, as they walked across the room towards the door on the other side. She hated the stares she received, but Alex felt grateful to Bill for not stopping and allowing the others time to approach and gawk at her.

Bill held the door open for her, and Alex stepped through the door, her eyes greeted by a crowded alleyway, with an arch halfway down the alley, with the words "Great Jones Alley" carved into the stone.

Still smiling, Bill gently grabbed her shoulder and said, "Now wait a minute! I haven't seen you since you were only a baby; let me get a good look at you."

Surprised at this new fact about Bill, she watched as his gaze travelled over her, and he stated, "You look a lot like your parents, your mother's build, but you have your father's hair and eyes."

"Thanks," Alex whispered, getting a warm feeling inside. Her aunt and uncle had never told her anything about her parents except that they had been killed by Lord Zytol, protecting her from him, just like Harry Potter's parents had done for him.

Bill asked, "Have you been here before?"

"Yeah, my aunt and uncle took us here to shop a couple times," Alex answered. "Especially when my uncle needed more potion ingredients." Or they wanted to parade me around like a show dog! She added silently.

Her eyes must have given her away, since Bill said, "You don't seem to have many happy memories of coming here." She glanced at him in surprise, his gaze serious once more, but he quickly smiled, "But I can easily change that! We're in New York City, after all!"

Alex felt dumb-founded by Bill's personality, but she followed him as he led the way down Great Jones Alley, towards a large, alabaster building with large columns. Glancing at her list again, Alex felt a twinge of panic, "Um…Bill? I don't have any money."

Bill nodded, "I know, and the headmaster already assumed that your aunt and uncle wouldn't let you use their account, but there's someone who is letting you use their money from their account."

Blinking in confusion, she asked, "Who?"

He ignored her question, leading the way into the Gringotts American Wizarding Bank, pushing past the doors, and walking into the large, open area, with goblins behind long counter on tall stools, counting galleons, knutts, and sickles, while others were examining or weighing precious gems.

Bill walked up to one of the goblins who was counting a large pile of sapphires, "Greetings, Bonegrinder, I'm here to pick up the money from the account that you discussed with Headmaster Corbit."

"I need a form identification," the goblin, Bonegrinder, practically growled. Bill obliged, pulling out his wand, and handing it over to the goblin to examine.

Bonegrinder examined the wand for a long time, caressing it with his long fingers, before he handed it back to Bill, "Very well." He hopped down from his stool, and was gone from sight for a couple minutes. When he hopped back onto his stool, he handed a bag across the counter, and went back to his counting.

"Thanks," Bill said, shepherding Alex back out of the building. He shuddered once they were outside, "I hate how they do that with wands. I know they want wizards to teach them how to use them, but egh!" He shuddered again. Alex barely managed to contain her laughter, finding Bill's reaction quite funny.

In each of the shops, Bill allowed Alex time to look around in each shop, never rushing her, and his eyes always seemed to be smiling, and Alex always found each shop interesting, from Garrett's Guaranteed Flying Brooms (which Bill was forced to drag her out of, since she could have looked at the brooms all day), to the bookstore Magical Ideas, and to the robe shop Marsha's Designs. The only two shops that didn't interest her were the Apothecary and the Sparkling Cauldrons, both of which she had been to far too often.

They only had two shops left, and Bill said, pointing to a shop with a sign of two wands crossed and the word, "Frodinian's". Bill stated, "Here's where you're wand…" Pushing through the doorway, into a dimly lit, small shop, with shelves upon shelves of small, narrow boxes, a small bell rang, and a small wizard, with graying black hair, and a skip to his step appeared. Alex noticed the crow's feet around his eyes, and the intelligent gleam in them as he spotted her, his eyes going to her scar quickly, before he smiled, "Well, well, I was wondering when I would have you in my store, Ms. Grant."

"You were?" Alex asked in confusion, glancing at Bill as he sat down in a chair near the doorway.

The man's eyes shone, "Why yes! Of course! I had your mother and father in here when they were young, and I have yet to forget a wand that I've sold, just like my mentor, Mr. Ollivander, the greatest wand-maker of all time! So now," his eyes gleamed, "We need to see what wand picks you."

"Sorry?" Alex was now completely confused. First, this wand maker had said that he'd been expecting her, and now he was talking of wands as if they were living, breathing things.

Frodinian grinned, "As my mentor would say, 'The wand chooses the wizard or witch' and I've found that that is indeed true! Now which is your wand arm?"

"Um…I write with my right hand," Alex supplied, and Frodinian quickly measured her arm with a silver tape measure.

After measuring her arm, he pulled a box off one of the shelves, "Now let's try this one here, a Holly and unicorn hair wand, supple, ten and a half inches."

Alex had only grasped the wand when Frodinian snatched if from her hand, "No, no, definitely not!" He grabbed a different box, pulling out a black wand, "Thirteen and a quarter inches, Ebony and dragon heartstring." Grasping the wand, Alex stared at Frodinian questioningly, "Give it a flick."

Alex did as she was told, and several boxes shot off their shelves.

"No. No. Not that one either," Frodinian stated, taking it back, and glancing at the many shelves of wands, looking thoughtful, "I wonder…" He pulled a dusty box off the shelf, and withdrew a grayish-brown wand, "Thirteen inches, Rowan, supple, with a phoenix feather core…"

Alex took the wand, and felt a sudden warmth in her fingertips. Giving it a flick, sparks shot out of the end of it.

"Interesting," Frodinian breathed.

It was Bill who asked, "What's interesting, Mr. Frodinian?"

"I've only sold a few Rowan wands in my career here in American, and all of them have been to very…very prominent wizards," Frodinian stated.

Bill questioned, "What do you mean by that?"

"I will not say any more," Frodinian asserted. "Since I could be wrong in my assumption, though I doubt that I am."

Alex was just as curious as Bill, but she didn't ask the wand maker what he meant either, and she paid for her wand, following Bill out into the alley again, staring at her wand in wonder.

"Something wrong, Alex?" Bill asked, concern showing in his green eyes.

Alex answered, "Well, it's just…that's the first bit of magic I've ever performed."

Bill frowned, "That's not true, Alex, you did accidental magic before we left your aunt and uncle's house."

Whirling around, eyes wide with shock and a bit of wonder, Alex exclaimed, "What? That was the twins!"

"No," Bill said, shaking his head. "That was you. The twins are not quite old enough to be showing any signs of magic yet."

I'm…I'm not a squid! Alex thought, her eyes shining with happiness, as she blindly followed Bill. I can do magic! I've BEEN doing magic! Anger surged through her happiness though, as the realization that her aunt and uncle had been lying to her this whole time, I shouldn't be surprised, they've never been kind to me…

Bill distracted her from her thoughts, "I know you're birthday isn't until the thirteenth of September, but I thought you'd like an early birthday gift."

Staring at Bill in surprise, she gazed at the store they were in front of, her eyes drawn to the creatures in the windows, from glossy feathered owls, to sleek and fluffy cats, to shiny looking toads. The sign above the shop read, "Melissa's Magical Menagerie" and Bill held open the door for her, "I'll let you decide what type of pet you want, but I'd strongly suggest an owl, since they can carry your mail and can spare you from relying on the school owl's. Not that cats are nice to have around, or even the toads, but they're just companions, where an owl is useful and a companion."

Alex nodded, walking into the shop, the young, blonde witch behind the counter smiled at her, her glasses gleaming as she did so, before she went back to tending something on the counter.

Heading straight towards the owls, she found that all of the owls seemed to be the same, even though they were of different varieties. They all strutted about on their perches, looking haughty, and Alex just couldn't bring herself to have a self-centered owl. She spotted one near the back of the group, an old, ragged looking thing, but it caught her attention as it swiveled it's head towards her and the other owls, with an ear-piercing screech, it silenced the entire shop, turning back to face the wall.

"Ow…!" Bill muttered, rubbing his ears.

Alex moved towards the cage, and opened it, holding out her arm to the owl, though it's back was turned.

"Alex, I wouldn't," Bill said. "That owl's old, he won't be very reliable, not to mention he doesn't seem very…friendly…" He stopped talking as the old owl turned around, stepped onto Alex's arm, and promptly fell asleep.

A few minutes later, Alex and Bill came out of the shop, Alex carrying the old owl in his cage (the young witch had told them the owl was male, and a Whiskered Screech). The owl looked around excitedly, releasing one of his piercing screeches every now and then.

Bill said, between one of these piercing screeches, "He still needs a name."

"I'm going to call him Screecher," Alex stated, smiling down at her owl.

Shaking his head, Bill muttered, "Still say you should have gotten a younger, quieter owl."

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><p><em><strong>Thank you to all who have reviewed andor favorited, and/or alerted. My muse greatly appreciates it!**_


	4. Chapter 4: The White Engine

****I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! ****

****I apologize for the long wait, real life and an uncooperative muse gummed up the works, hopefully I'll be able to update again soon-enjoy!****

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**The White Engine**

Alex and Bill stayed in The Mystical Lounge the rest of the week, waiting for September 1st to come around. Screecher finally stopped screeching every hour or so the night before Alex would head to Lutore.

"Bought time," Alex muttered fondly to Screecher, glad that he seemed to have adjusted. "I hope you don't start up again when we get to Lutore!"

Screecher gave a softer version of his screech in response, before he clacked his beak, wanting to be fed.

"Greedy thing," Alex said, smiling as she plopped a couple owl treats into his cage. "That'll have to do until we get to Lutore, then you can hunt till your heart's content."

Screecher went to eating the owl treats, while Alex went to the bed and lay down, excitement keeping her awake. She was really going! She, Alex Grant, was really truly going to Lutore tomorrow, where she'd be sorted, learn spells, and hopefully, make new friends.

Leaning over, she grabbed her wand off the dresser, admiring the grayish-brown wand, the moonlight making it silver. It was still hard for her to believe that she had been doing magic all that time at her aunt and uncle's, but if a wizard like Bill said she had been doing magic, then she must have been.

Lost in her own memories of her life at her aunt and uncle's, she glared at the ceiling. So many lies and pain there, yet she'd be going back at the end of term…

Sighing, she rolled over onto her stomach trying to get some sleep before she had to wake up at six that morning.

The alarm rang far too soon for Alex, startling her awake along with Screecher who added his voice to the racket. Whopping the snooze bottom before actually turning the alarm off, Alex grouched, "Well I'm up now!" While Screecher continued screeching, Alex changed from her pajamas to her clothes of blue jeans, and a black T-shirt. Meeting a groggy, Bill in the hallway, they ate a hurried breakfast before they took a taxi to the subway. Reaching the subway, Bill turned to her before they reached the automatic ticket scanners. "Here's your ticket. Make sure you get into one of the first three lines; otherwise it won't register as an actual ticket. Then just find the platform number on the ticket."

"Wait, you're not coming?" Alex asked, glancing around worriedly.

Bill shook his head, "Sorry, I have to head to the school. You'll be fine. You're a smart kid."

"Right…" Alex said, not sounding convinced.

Bill smiled, "I'll see you at the school!" With that, he left.

Feeling nervous, Alex grabbed her bags and Screecher's cage, having quite a time juggling them as she went to the first ticket scanning machine, pushing through the metal bars when she saw the green light come on. She blinked in surprise as she spotted a luggage cart waiting at the end of the path away from the ticket scanner; fairly certain it hadn't been there before. Shrugging, she walked towards it and placed her luggage and Screecher's cage on it, the old owl looking around from inside, giving soft screeches. Pushing the cart along, she frowned as she saw the platform number. "Thirteen and seven eighths?" She asked in disbelief, gazing at the nearest board of platforms, train lines, and schedules. Where the heck am I going to find this platform?

With all the looks people were shooting her, Alex could tell that they were all muggles, and she started to get worried, What happens if I miss the train?

"Do you need help?" A female voice said behind her.

Jumping, Alex turned to see a woman with copper skin and black hair behind her, the woman's sapphire eyes were gentle as she added, "You must be looking for platform Thirteen and seven eighths, correct?"

"Ye-yeah," Alex said, surprised that it was that obvious. Then again, she did have an owl on her cart.

"Come with us," the woman said smiling, gesturing behind her to three boys, each with her copper skin and black hair. "We're also heading there."

Alex smiled, "Thanks. I'm Alex by the way."

The look in the woman's eyes said that she knew that already, but she said, "I'm Celeste Wolfshire." She then led the way, and Alex fell in step with the last of her sons.

The tallest of the three asked, "Are you really Alex Grant?"

"Yes," Alex answered. The look he gave her told her that he was still skeptical, but he didn't push the subject.

"Don't mind him," the next one said, grey eyes gleaming. "Al's always been a bit of a stick in the mud!" His eyes were laughing as his brother shot him a dark look. He continued as his brother turned away, "I'm Theo, by the way. This will be my second year at Lutore, while Al's in his fifth year." His eyes shone with mischief then, "And our baby brother is just starting his first year!"

She thought for sure that would get a rise out of the boy next to her, but instead, he looked at her and said, grinning, "Yeah, I'm Shane."

"Dang!" Theo grouched, sulking a bit. "I thought for sure that would do it!"

Shane said in low tones, "I'm not as easy to get riled as Albert, now am I?"

"Yeah, you're not fun to tease," Theo muttered, before brightening up as he sped up to catch up with Albert and torment him some more.

Celeste asked as she stayed near Alex and Shane, "Where are your guardians, Alex?"

"They couldn't come," Alex answered quickly. Celeste's eyes were troubled, but she didn't press Alex further.

Shane asked, "You must live close then to get here without assistance."

"I actually live in Utah," Shane's mouth fell open in shock. "But one of the Professor's, Bill Looncra, brought me here."

"That sounds like Bill," Celeste said, a small smile on her face.

Alex couldn't help asking Shane, "Where's your dad?"

"He's…" Shane looked uncomfortable.

"Dead," Celeste answered, not turning to look at either of them. "He died when Lord Zytol was still in power, killed because he was a muggle, like me."

"Wait, what?" Alex was very confused.

Shane explained, "My brothers and I are the only ones with magical ability in our family, though, since we're descendants of a powerful chief, I think it just skipped quite a few generations."

Feeling more confused than ever, Alex didn't pry any further, not wanting to annoy Celeste or Shane, since they'd been very kind to her so far.

Albert and Theo were waiting for them in front of a wall which was virtually deserted, apart from a few muggles walking in and out of the restrooms along the left wall. They were nowhere near the other platforms.

"Albert. Theo. You two can go ahead," Celeste said.

Nodding, the two brothers turned their carts and then walked right into the wall, disappearing.

Alex blinked in surprise. One minute the two had been there, the next they were actually entering the wall.

"It can be a bit disorienting," Celeste said. "So it'll be best if you two run at the wall, but not yet," she added, spotting a couple muggles glancing their way. When the muggles looked away, she said, "Now!"

Alex and Shane pushed their carts towards the walls, and Screecher let out a screech, probably afraid, like she was that they were going to collide with it. Instead, they slid right through it, and Alex's eyes widened in amazement as she looked around the crowded platform with witches and wizards and their children along with the various hoots, meows, and croaks of their pets. Her gaze was drawn to the train that was sitting their though, it was nothing like the trains she'd seen with their sleek looks. This was a sparkling white steam engine, with some gold trimmed parts. Even the passenger cars were white and gold, gleaming in the darkness of the tunnel.

"Well, Mom," Albert said as they reached him and Theo, "I'm going to get on. I need to meet with the other H.A.'s in the first car." Alex noticed a badge on his chest with the same letters.

Celeste gave her eldest son a kiss on the cheek, though he looked embarrassed, Theo didn't help by saying, "Yeah, go up with the other, High-Horse Affiliates!" Shooting Theo yet another, dark look, he pushed his cart towards the train.

"I guess technically it would be H.H.A.," Theo mused, not at all phased by his brother's glare.

Alex asked, "What's an H.A.?"

"H.A. is a House Assistant," Shane explained. "Basically they help out the heads of houses. There's usually about five each year, then there's a Head Boy and Girl that organize them into their separate duties, the H.A.'s report to them."

"Wow, you know a lot about them!" She said.

Shane blushed, "I kind of read the textbooks we'd been assigned beforehand…"

"Nerd," Theo coughed, but he blanched when his mother gave him a stern look. "Kidding! Besides, the way Al goes on about it, it's no wonder you remembered!" Someone shouted his name and he said, "That's Simon and Vin, I'd better get going!" He took off before his mother could kiss him on the cheek, waving at her before he was lost in the crowd.

"You two should really get on as well," Celeste said. Kissing Shane on the cheek, she said, "Make sure to write!"

"I will," Shane called to her as they got onto the train with their luggage and owls.

Noticing Shane's large cage, the owl inside a behemoth that stood a little under three feet, Alex asked, "Do you need help?"

Shane glanced down at his owl and shook his head, "No. He's lighter than he looks. He actually doesn't weigh a lot."

Alex found that hard to believe as they made their way through the cars, the train already in motion as it left the platform and entered the dark tunnels. Eventually, they found an empty compartment and set their luggage in the overhead luggage holders, while setting their owls' cages on the seats next to them.

Getting a better look at Shane's owl, Alex was intrigued by the owl's large face, steel gray feathers that were flecked with darker gray spots, and its massive size.

"He's a Great Gray Owl," Shane explained, catching Alex studying his owl. "Where I live in Washington on the Lummi Reservation, I found him under a tree as an owlet when I was pretty young myself. Luckily my mom let me keep him."

Alex's eyes widened in surprise, "You came all the way from Washington just to catch this train? And you thought Utah was far!"

"Well it would be if you'd come on your own," Shane said, smiling a bit. "What kind of owl is yours? He's certainly scruffy looking."

Screecher was dozing in his cage, as Alex explained, "He's a Whiskered Screech and he's pretty old, but he was the only one at the shop that I really liked."

"To each his own," Shane murmured, before asking, "What'd you call him?"

Alex answered, "Screecher. You'll find out why eventually. What'd you call your owl?"

"Gray," Shane muttered, looking embarrassed. "I was only nine when I found him as an owlet. My family calls him Big Gray though."

Alex smiled, "It definitely fits him!" It was great having a conversation where her name wasn't brought into question.

There was a knock at the compartment door that caused them both to turn as a hassled looking girl about their age with pale blond hair and brown eyes walked in, asking, "Do you mind if I join you? All the other compartments are full…" She trailed off as she openly gawked at Alex's scar.

After several seconds of staring, Alex cleared her throat, and the girl came out of her shock. "Sorry…" she said, having the good sense to look embarrassed. "I'm Tina Foye, by the way, it's nice to meet you, Alex Grant." She finally turned to Shane and gave him a quick glance before stashing her luggage overhead and sitting down next to Alex.

Shane looked a bit miffed by being ignored, but he merely introduced himself, "I'm Shane Wolfshire, nice to meet you."

Tina forced a smile onto her face and nodded, "Nice to meet you as well." She turned to Alex then, "Are you excited to be going to Lutore? My family was so pleased when I got the letter, not that they didn't expect me to get it since my family is pureblood-not that there's anything wrong with being of a different blood status!" Tina added the last part hastily catching Alex's glare.

Shane spoke up, "You do realize that even some Muggle-borns can trace their bloodlines back to some wizards, especially Native Americans."

"I know some can, but a lot of the time it's just random," Tina stated. "No magical ability at all and then "poof!" One is magical."

"Or they have dormant abilities in the family," Shane argued.

Tina shrugged, "However you want to see it!"

Before Shane could get the argument going any further, Alex quickly intervened, "Any witch or wizard can be great regardless of their blood status, history proves that much! Besides, we all deserve to be here since we received letters to attend Lutore."

Neither Tina nor Shane seemed able to think up a decent argument so they merely glared at each other.

Trying to lighten the mood, Alex asked, "Do either of you know what happens once we arrive at Lutore? Like how we're sorted?"

Tina shook her head, "My parents wouldn't tell me…"

"Theo said we have to fight a dragon, but I think that he's just full of it," Shane muttered.

Now the conversation was going somewhere that seemed to be peaceful territory, as Tina asked, "Do you want a certain house to be sorted into? Honestly as long as I'm not a Slipott I'll be happy with anything!"

"Even being a Hystifor?" Shane questioned. "The house of dark wizards?"

"Not all Hystifors are dark wizards!" Tina stated. "My mother was a Hystifor and she was never once on the side of he-who-will-not-be-named."

Like all things, American wizards had even gone so far as to make sure there was a distinct difference between he-who-must-not-be-named/you-know-who aka Lord Voldemort and Lord Zytol by going so far as to call him he-who-will-not-be-named/mentioned. Alex would have almost felt bad for the poor guy since he had to deal with as silly of a title as hers, but since he had murdered her parents and tried to kill her, no such feelings came forward.

Holding up his hands defensively as if to fend off Tina, Shane said, "I'd like to be a Lupicana like the rest of my family."

When Alex didn't offer up any favorite house, Tina pressed, "Well, Alex, what house would you like to be in?"

Feeling extremely uncomfortable since the only house she'd ever heard of while living with her aunt and uncle was the Slipotts, Alex really had no clue as to what the houses were like, so she lied, "I'd be happy in any house really, I'm sure they're not all as bad as others claim."

Her rouse worked, Shane and Tina gazing at her a bit in surprise, but not guessing that she really had no clue as to what the pros and cons of each house at Lutore were.

A friendly looking man with graying black hair pushing a cart full of wizard sweets like Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Licorice Wands, Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, and many other delights knocked on their compartment door along with the one on the other side of the hallway, "Any snacks for you?"

Shane and Tina both bought some, Alex painfully aware that she didn't have any extra spending money, having been lucky that some benefactor paid for her school supplies.

Noticing that Alex hadn't bought any, Tina asked, "Aren't you going to get anything?" Even Shane seemed a bit confused.

Fidgeting a bit, Alex mumbled, "I don't have any money…"

"What?" Shane and Tina asked at the same time.

Alex said a bit more loudly, "I don't have any money." Shane and Tina stared at her dumbfounded, so Alex tried to explain, "My aunt and uncle aren't exactly the nicest people around and they really, and I mean really didn't want me attending Lutore, so when they found out that I was they weren't exactly supportive and I don't have any sort of vault of my own at Gringotts so…"

"How did you get your school supplies?" Tina asked, very confused.

Alex answered, "Someone allowed me access to their vault to get them. My owl was a gift from the pr-wizard that took me to Great Jones Alley to get my supplies…" She trailed off, not wanting to have her friends think that she had connections in the school with one of the professor's she'd purposely not mentioned that the wizard that took her to Great Jones Alley was a professor, but she felt bad for lying to her two new friends, twice now.

Shane solved the problem that had developed, "I'll share some of the stuff I bought with you!"

Not to be outdone, Tina said, "Me too!"

The sweets got so mixed together that Tina and Shane gave up trying to discern between which one had bought what and the three friends ate from the pile that it had become, enjoying the companionship.

Alex grabbed a chocolate frog off the pile and she was surprised to find a card inside, "Wow!"

Shane and Tina both knew better than to show surprise at this fact after Alex's brief summary of her aunt and uncle. Shane did however explain, "It's a Witches & Wizards card, there are a lot to collect and every year they add more to the bunch so you really don't have to stop collecting them unless you get bored with them."

"Who'd you get?" Tina asked.

Alex stared at the card, a bit surprised, "Harry Potter."

Shane and Tina both wanted to see the card, Shane saying in awe, "This is the original one that came out, not the newer one which came out only a few years ago! They stopped making these!" A bit embarrassed by how much he knew, Shane muttered, "My brothers got me into collecting the cards…"

Admiring the card, Tina said, "What luck that you got that card! They started making it when Harry Potter started attending Hogwarts. Don't let anyone talk you out of trading that card anytime soon!"

Alex nodded, looking down at the picture of a young Harry Potter that, like all wizarding photos, moved, the boy with the lightning scar on his forehead, the messy black hair, emerald eyes, seemed more suited to his lightning scar than Alex felt to hers. He had fought off Lord Voldemort many times, proving his bravery. He deserved to be remembered in history. Alex certainly didn't feel she deserved to be so well known. After all, she hadn't done anything, Lord Zytol's spell merely misfiring or something. Certainly not an action of hers that got rid of him for good. She doubted that Harry Potter had ever felt like he was worthless, useless, or powerless like she'd felt for most of her life.

While Alex was lost in her thoughts, Tina glanced up as she heard the compartment door across the hall open and she quickly looked away and moaned, "Oh good Lord not him!"

Shane asked, "Who?"

Before Tina could respond, their compartment door opened and in walked in a boy with light brown hair, and piercing ice blue eyes. He had two friends behind him as well, one with dirty blond hair and light green eyes, the other with dark brown hair and light brown eyes, all of them with that same look and air about them-that they were tough and shouldn't be messed with if anybody had any sense.

Unfortunately, these three had walked into the wrong compartment. Alex came out of her thoughts as they entered, and she asked, her sapphire blue eyes meeting the ice blue ones, "Can we help you?"

The boy took in her scar with a look of contempt, "So you're the famous Legend of the Night, Alex Grant…you're certainly not what I'd expect of someone who defeated he-who-will-not-be-mentioned. You're rather pathetic looking really."

It wasn't clear who truly reached ticked off first-Shane, Tina, or Alex, each of their eyes showing that they were irritated beyond belief with just that one sentence.

The boy, thinking that the intimidation factor of how him and his friends look was working on them, he continued, "You certainly didn't pick the right crowd to hang around with either, I mean, honestly, Tina Foye, and an obvious Muggle-born? Don't you have any sense? If you did, you'd come to our compartment," he gestured to the other side of the hall, where Alex noticed a couple of snooty looking girls were still there, watching what was going on. "I'm Dylan, by the way." He gestured to the boy with blond hair, "This is Michael." He gestured to the other boy, "And this is Zachariah." Dylan then gestured to the two girls in the other compartment, "And they are Sandy and Bridgette. We're the right crowd to hang around. Not this fil-!"

He didn't get to say anymore since Alex tackled him in the stomach and knocked him into the hall.

Before either Michael or Zachariah could react, Zachariah was punched by Shane while Michael, who had turned around to help Dylan, had Tina leap onto his back where she simply covered his eyes and had him trip over Dylan and knock his head against the compartment walls. Sandy and Bridgette started to sob and scream when the fight started, but they didn't try to assist the boys in any way.

Alex and Dylan punched and kicked at each other, and Dylan eventually won out simply because he was stronger and in better condition than she was, while Michael finally got Tina off his back by slamming against a wall several times. Zachariah meanwhile scampered away from Shane, who looked like he was ready to have another go.

Spitting a bit of blood out of his mouth, Dylan scoffed, "Fine then. See how far this l-ugh!" He covered his ears as Screecher let out a piercing screech, not liking all the commotion that had disturbed him. He stopped temporarily to take a breath before releasing another that sent Dylan and his cronies retreating into their compartment where they slammed it shut.

Tina and Shane were covering their ears as they entered the compartment while Alex soothed her owl until he was quiet once more.

Rubbing her back, Tina sat down gingerly, "I hate those guys! They think they're better than everyone just because they're rich and purebloods!"

Shane looked tempted to bring up the fact that Tina thought she was better than others because of similar reasons but considering she'd just helped out, thought better of it and said instead, "At least we showed them that we can't be intimidated."

Gingerly touching her split lip and wincing in pain, she was relieved that the bleeding already seemed to have stopped, "True, but I get the feeling that they'll give us more trouble."

The man who'd been pushing the trolley walked through the compartment again, though this time without his trolley and he called out as he walked through the car, "We're approaching our destination! Please change into your school uniforms and start getting ready to disembark!"

"Destination?" Shane muttered, throwing on his robe. "What the heck does that mean? Why didn't he say Lutore?"

Tina shrugged, "Maybe he didn't feel like saying Lutore?"

"Whatever the reason, I'm sure we'll find out," Alex stated.

Fifteen minutes later, they got off the train with their luggage, wide-eyed as they found themselves at the base of some rather large mountains, the sun starting to set, the sky various shades of orange and pink, with smatterings of clouds throughout making the scene look quite serene.

Tina, Shane, and Alex all shot glares at Dylan and his bunch, before they stared in disbelief at the voice that shouted, "First years over here!" Along with the creatures that the owner of the voice had with him.


	5. Chapter 5: Lutore

******I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! All errors are, of course, my own. Hope you like this chapter!******

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Lutore**

Alex immediately recognized Bill, but she was a bit baffled at the creatures he was standing near. Closest to him were obviously pegasus, all of them being various shades of gray, including their wings, each one wearing a bridle and reins, though they had no saddles. Further along the line, though, were some odd looking creatures that were half over-grown eagle with the back ends of horses that some of the older students were approaching cautiously, while even further along, some students were approaching, well, what it looked like to Alex and her friends was nothing, though something had to be there as the invisible creatures created dust when they moved.

Getting pushed along with the other first years, Alex, Shane, and Tina approached Bill who waited for some stragglers to come over before he started speaking, "We will be going the rest of the way to Lutore on these pegasus. Treat them with respect since they'll be the ones carrying you there. If you really want to get thrown off and plummet several hundred feet to the ground, be my guest and irritate the poor creatures. If not, mount, hold on, and let them do their thing. They know where they're going and they'll get you to the school safely. I'll be flying a bit behind you to keep an eye out for anything that might startle them."

A timid looking girl asked, "What could startle them?"

"Oh you know, the usual, low flying planes, dragons, backfiring motors, those kinds of things!" Bill said.

"Dragons!" The girl squeaked, looking like she was about to faint.

Bill reassured her, "There's no real threat from them. The pegasus will scent them before they get near them." Alex noted that Bill didn't exactly look that positive when he said that. On that note, Bill had them mount their pegasus.

Being uncooperative, Dylan demanded, "And how is our luggage supposed to get to the school?"

Mounted on a sturdy dark grey pegasus with some nasty looking scars on its shoulders, Bill answered, "Don't worry, your luggage will be at the school when you arrive and are sorted, now get on your pegasus."

Looking a bit surprised, Dylan quickly mounted. Checking that every one of the first years was mounted, Bill gave a shrill whistle and the pegasus took off with mighty down strokes of their wings, streaking off into the air.

Alex heard Tina give a scream of fear as her pegasus, a dappled gray, shot into the sky and sailed to the front of the group. She only saw Shane's pegasus, a very light gray, almost white, old creature flap its wings, she could only assume that it was near the back of the group. Her pegasus, a light gray, but not nearly as light as Shane's took off into the air and kept rising until it soared above the others. Judging from how her pegasus acted, she assumed it was young and cocky.

Once it had settled into soaring, with the occasional flap of its wings, Alex found the flight was quite nice. The young, light gray pegasus moved through the air smoothly as it soared above the other gray pegasus towards the school. She found herself starting to enjoy the flight, though she didn't dare release her death grip on the pegasus' reins. Without any warning, Alex felt something heavy slam into her left shoulder, a sharp pain lanced through her as something sharp dug into it, and the pegasus beneath her squealed in alarm, a scaled foot with razor sharp claws digging into its side. Alex's eyes widened in alarm as she gazed into the wild, predatory eyes of a small, young dragon that was the orange color of the sunset sky, as its jaws opened to grab the pegasus' neck, a thunderous roar echoed through the mountains and the dragon automatically released the pegasus Alex was on with a roar of its own. Alex and the pegasus both sighed in relief at the same time, although she couldn't help wondering what on Earth could have produced such a roar to scare off the dragon.

After their initial scare, her mount soared down to be with the others, snorting and rolling its eyes while it tried to calm down. Daring to release one hand from the reins, Alex patted the pegasus' neck gingerly, while making soft shushing noises to try and soothe the terrified creature. Her shoulder gave a dull throb, and she could only imagine how much pain the pegasus was in as it continued to fly with the others.

"Are you all right?" Bill asked as he got his pegasus to fly up alongside hers.

Alex nodded, "Yeah…just a bit shaken."

"As you should be!" Bill exclaimed, trying to get a good look at the damage the dragon had caused. "I didn't expect one to get that bold, and definitely didn't expect it to attack from that high up, but it was young, so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised…you'll need to have your shoulder looked at by the nurse before you get sorted."

"All right," Alex said.

Bill looked concerned, "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah," she said, patting her pegasus' neck.

Not exactly looking convinced, Bill pulled back on his pegasus' reins, withdrawing his wand from his robes and with a flick, produced an indistinct, glowing white creature that sped ahead of the group, before he and the pegasus dropped back once more.

Five minutes later, the pegasus landed, trotting to a halt at a large cave entrance. Alex was surprised at how fast the flight had been, estimating that it hadn't even taken ten minutes. Dismounting, she patted her pegasus fondly before she started to walk into the cave with the others.

Before she had even taken a step, Shane and Tina were beside her, talking over the other while trying to see if she was okay.

"Are you all right?"

"Holy crap that was a dragon!"

"Did you hear that roar?"

"Holy crap that was a dragon!"

"How badly hurt are you?"

"HOLY CRAP THAT WAS A DRAGON!"

Alex sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get a word in edgewise between the pair. She noted the approach of a robust woman, her hair tied into a tight bun, wearing a black dress and white apron. The woman's eyes were kind as she stopped in front of Alex and her friends, saying, "I see it was you who had the encounter with the young dragon." She set to work, murmuring an incantation that sent a tingly feeling down Alex's left arm, though the pain started to fade. Once she finished, Alex's shoulder felt fine, and she moved it experimentally, no pain occurred when she did so and she smiled at the woman, "Thanks!"

"My pleasure, dear," she said warmly. "And if you're ever in need of healing, just come looking for me, Nurse Melly!" With that, she bustled away from Alex, Shane, and Tina, entering the cave where she was soon lost to their eyes in darkness of the cave.

"Nurse Melly?" Tina questioned, finding the nurse to be quite humorous.

Alex mused, "She may be a bit weird, but I've got to say that she knows her stuff. My shoulder feels great!"

Before their conversation could go any further, Bill raised his voice to be heard over all the other conversations going on, "First years! Listen up! When you hear your name called, enter the cave, there you'll be sorted and told what to do after that! So Alderbury, Jeremiah, you may enter!"

So the process began. Each student having their named called and they entered the cave. No student came back out the way they'd entered, but it wasn't soothing to hear the occasional scream from one of the students that entered.

Bill reached Tina's name, "Foye, Tina."

Tina shot Alex and Shane a terrified look before walking into the cave, trying to look brave.

After several minutes, Shane and Alex sighed a bit, not hearing a scream from Tina. Bill called out a couple other names before reaching Alex's, "Grant, Alex."

Several heads turned as the first years that remained gazed at her in awe apart from Dylan and his bunch, along with a few others.

"Good luck!" Shane called out as Alex made her way towards the cave entrance.

Lifting her hand in the air to show that she had heard him, Alex entered the cave, keeping one hand on the wall as it led deeper and deeper into the mountain soon the wall was her only guide in the darkness.

As she rounded a corner, she blinked in surprise as she saw a faint golden glow ahead. Recalling some of the screams she'd heard, she walked forward with caution. The glow intensified as she got nearer and nearer to the source, the tunnel widening until she found herself gazing out at a massive pile of gold, jewels, and other shiny trinkets within a massive cave that had to be the size of two houses. Her eyes widened in terror though at the thing lounging on top of the pile.

A massive alabaster dragon, its scales shining in the torchlight and the reflections from the gold, it had to be slightly larger than a house, its wedge shaped head alone was the size of a pickup truck, two blunt horns on its head extended towards its wings, and they had to be about the length of a car. Spines went from small ones starting on the back of its head that got larger as they went down its back and then to smaller ones again as they neared the tip of its tail. Even folded down against its sides, the dragon's wings were huge and its talons were about the length of an adult person if not longer. The dragon's amber eyes locked on her and the dragon opened its mouth, but instead of a roar, it said, "Enter, Alex Grant."

Feeling a bit in awe now of the massive dragon, Alex entered cautiously, keeping her blue eyes locked with the dragon's amber ones. This dragon's eyes did not have the wild, predatory look of the young dragon she had encounter. No. This dragon's eyes were gentle, wise, yet there was something in them that still hinted at a great strength and inspired awe and even a bit of fear still.

Alex stopped at the edge of the gold pile, not daring to go any closer to the deadly talons of the dragon.

The dragon lowered its head till its eyes were level with her own, it didn't say anything and a silence spanned between them. Starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, Alex asked, "How did you know my name?"

Lifting its head once more, the dragon spoke, "Your name has been down for this school since the day you were born. As the guardian of this school, of course I would know the names of all the students, and those to come."

"Guardian of the school?" Alex questioned, confused now. "I've never heard of a guardian for Lutore."

The dragon made a deep rumbling in its chest that after a few seconds, she realized was laughter, "I am Lutore the Ash Creator. I've been around since the founders decided to make a school for young witches and wizards and started to carve their way into the Rocky Mountains, the home of my species. Raising me from a hatchling, I knew the founders then I think they even knew themselves!"

Alex tried to process this information, the dragon was claiming to be several hundred years old. "Let me get this straight…you've been around since the time this school was created?"

"Yes," the dragon, Lutore answered. Seeing more questions in her eyes, he said, "But those are stories for other times, young Alex. Now, I must decide what house to put you in."

Alex said, feeling a bit ashamed, "I'm not familiar with the houses…"

This didn't put Lutore off in the slightest, "Four houses are here at the school each named after one of the four founders. I may put you in Lupicana where the brave of heart reside, and where even loners find they are welcomed with pride. Perhaps you'd be more content as a Slipott where the hard, honest workers reside, or maybe even a Wiszik if you're brainier than most, or simply love to learn, or perhaps you're a Hystifor, cunning and determined, but for now I'll simply ask you questions, though I've got a house or two in mind."

A bit baffled by the dragon's rhyme, she waited for him to speak. She didn't have to wait long, "If I were to tell you that this treasure I lay on can give you power beyond your wildest imagination, would you take some of it?"

"No," Alex answered truthfully. Much as she could have used the gold, power didn't really interest her.

Lutore's amber eyes studied her for a long time before he asked, "If your friends were in danger yet you could escape from the danger unharmed, would you abandon them?"

Alex had to imagine a situation, and after several minutes she answered, "Honestly…I don't know…I'd like to think that I would stay and help my friends…but I can't really tell unless I was actually in that situation…"

"Well said," Lutore rumbled as he lifted his head, his amber eyes unfocused as he gazed at the wall. After taking several moments to think, the dragon looked down at Alex and said, "You'll do best in Lupicana!"

His voice seemed to boom out as he spoke the house name, yet it didn't seem to echo completely through the caves, merely heading one direction.

"Now head out through the tunnel directly behind me and proceed down it to enter the school. Once in the Main Hall, go straight ahead and through the double doors to the Dining Hall, you'll sit at the table to the far left," Lutore said before moving his head to a rock and saying into it, "Gregory, Alan."

Taking her leave, Alex walked behind Lutore, unable to take her eyes off the dragon until she entered the tunnel behind him. This tunnel was quite large, and she could easily picture Lutore moving through the cave to enter the school.

The dragon hadn't been kidding when he said the doors were heavy, they were also large-large enough to emit a dragon of Lutore's size, luckily, when Alex touched the doors, not even having to push, they seemed to give a slight shiver before swinging open.

Walking through the now open doors, Alex stared in awe at the circular main hall with its polished floors, and at four different points of the circle, there stood a statue representing one of the four houses: a serpent for Hystifor, an otter for Slippott, an owl for Wizsik, and a wolf for Lupicana, each of the statues had their mouth, or in the owl's case beak, open, a number displayed in it, though currently they were all at zero. Looking up, Alex stared at the crest of the school in all its glory above her. Glancing to the left and right were two separate hallways both of which, along with the Main Hall were tall enough to accommodate Lutore's height and girth.

Still staring around in awe as she walked towards the doors directly across from her, she noticed a small dragon statue sitting halfway between the wolf statue and the owl statue; the dragon looked like it was attempting to climb the wall, its front legs on the wall and its head pointing upwards. As she gazed at it, the statue suddenly flicked its tail and looked her way before going back to its original position.

Simply touching the doors as she reached them worked just as well as before. The massive doors swinging up to reveal the Dining Hall, circular in structure like the Main Hall, the ceiling in the Dining Hall was a mural of what Alex could only assume to be the history of the school, the figures in the mural moving as they re-enacted what had actually occurred long ago. A cheer from the table at the far left distracted her from the ceiling, and she remembered those were her fellow Lupicanas. As she hastened towards her house's table, she saw a figure waving at her and spotted Tina, relief surging through her that her friend was in the same house as her.

Sitting down at the bench, Tina said in a rush, "Could you believe that dragon? He was huge AND he could talk!"

"At least he didn't think we were snacks," Alex murmured.

A voice from across the table said, "Nah! We're to gamey for Lutore to want to take a bite out of!"

Looking across the table revealed Theo, who was grinning widely.

The guy on his left who had blond hair and green eyes chimed in, "No, you mean we taste too funny to a dragon of his refined tastes!"

Theo tried to contain his laughter, which still escaped him in snippets, and a mousy haired guy with light blue eyes added, "Not to mention he couldn't even taste us since his maw is wide enough to engulf us with room to spare."

"You ruined the moment, Simeon," the blond haired guy grouched.

Wiping his eyes, Theo said, "Aw! Give him a break, Vin! He's still getting used to the prankster persona!"

Simeon didn't look sure as to be pleased Theo had come to his rescue or insulted, but before he could say anything, Lutore's voice boomed throughout the hall, "Gregory, Alan—Slippott!"

"Wow! Loud!" Alex said, hearing a ringing in her ears.

Theo unplugged his ears, lowering his hands, "Yeah, you learn pretty quickly—you hear just the first little indication of that and you plug your ears!" Vin and Simeon nodded in agreement.

Taking in the empty table in front of her, Alex asked, "Why isn't the table filled with food?"

"Because the teachers know that we'd stuff our faces the instant we sat down," Vin supplied.

Simeon answered, "It's because the headmaster likes to say a few words before we eat." He gestured to the table that was at the end of the hall, facing towards them, perched slightly higher up on a platform, all the seats were filled.

"Which one is the headmaster?" Tina asked in lone tones as if she were afraid the adults would hear her over all the noise.

"The one in the m—hang on!" Simeon promptly plugged his ears, as did everyone else as Lutore's voice boomed out once more, announcing another student being placed in Slippott. "As I was saying, the headmaster's the one seated in the middle."

"Him?" Tina said in surprise as she gazed at the young wizard with short ebony hair, and bright green eyes in cobalt blue robes who was leaning over to talk with one of the professors. "He's so young!"

"Youngest headmaster to date," Simeon agreed. "Headmaster Jackson Corbit."

Alex leaned back in her seat a bit to try and see the headmaster. She silently agreed with Tina and he did seem young to be a headmaster, but then again, Bill had to be roughly the same age and he was a professor and the gamekeeper. The headmaster's gaze suddenly locked with hers for a brief second, and a small smile crossed his features before he looked away, engaged in his conversation with the professor next to him.

Thinking she'd imagined the smile, Alex leaned forward once more only to find Vin and Simeon gawking at her.

"What?" Alex asked, though she knew full well what they were staring at.

"Nothing!" The two said at the same time.

Theo rolled his eyes, "Don't mind them. Sometimes they're slow on the uptake."

Alex thoroughly enjoyed talking with Theo, Tina, Simeon, Vin, and Shane once he joined them, having been sorted into Lupicana as well. When the last student was sorted, and Bill was seated at the table, Alex, Tina, and Shane all looked expectantly at the head table for the headmaster to say something.

Tina turned to Theo, Simeon, and Vin when nothing happened, "Why isn't he starting?"

"Because everyone's not here yet," Simeon answered just as the doors opened once more and Lutore walked in, having only a little room to spare as he walked through the door. Luckily the Dining Hall was spacious and the tables spaced well apart as the dragon walked up towards the head table and settled his bulk behind it, his tail curling around the raised platform.

The headmaster stood up once the dragon was settled, "Welcome to all students, new and old! Though I have much to tell you about this year, it can wait till after you've eaten and are a bit more willing to listen to what I have to say." With a wave of his hand, the tables were suddenly laden with food of all sorts from pizza to barbeque, to hot dogs, to pies of all sorts, and even ice cream. Of course there were vegetables too, but only a few people got excited over those.

Staring at all the food in awe, Alex wasn't sure what to take first. Shane grabbed a couple slices of pizza, while Tina grabbed some salad. Managing to snag a hamburger before the platter magically started to move towards the other end of the table, she also added a bit of salad on her plate and some fries.

If ever asked about the best dinner she'd ever had right then and there, Alex would have answered the one she was eating now as she talked with Tina, Shane, Theo, Vin, and Simeon along with other fellow Lupicanas that chimed into their conversation every now and then, or simply wanted to introduce themselves to Alex, who was never good with names and forget over half of them, though she knew she'd remember all their faces.

Once everyone had finished eating, the dishes that had held the food vanished, and the Headmaster stood up once more, and silence instantly fell over the students as they gazed at him expectantly.

"Welcome once again, to all of you. I'm glad to see so many new faces along with all the familiar ones from last year," Headmaster Corbit's gaze swept over them all. "First off, the House Cup competition starts as soon as you stand up from your seats, meaning you need to be on your best behavior if you want your house to win the cup. Second, for the new students, and as a reminder to the old ones, there is a curfew in this castle, any student caught outside of their dorms after eleven thirty will be given punishment as well losing points for their house." Alex noticed that the Headmaster's gaze went to Theo, Simeon, and Vin, all three of them purposely not meeting his gaze. "Also, the Wailing Woods are off limits to all students unless in there with a teacher." His gaze once again went to Theo, Simeon, and Vin, all of whom looked innocent this time. "The rest of the school rules are posted in your dormitories and on the bulletin boards in the hallways, there is no excuse for not knowing them except your own laziness which will not save you from punishment." The headmaster's gaze turned serious as his gaze once again swept over the students, though they softened as he finished, "All right. You may all follow your House Assistants to your dorms and get some rest. Classes start bright and early tomorrow."

With the Headmaster's speech finished, all of the students started to rise from the benches, Shane's oldest brother, Albert, started to shout above all the chatting students, "First years over here! First years follow me!" When this approach didn't work, he shouted, "FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!"

Theo mused to Shane as he, Alex, and Tina hurried towards Albert, "Huh! So he really is related to us if he can holler like that."

Once Albert was sure that all of the first years were gathered around, he headed out of the Dining Hall and into the Main Hall, turning down the left corridor, he walked all the way to the end where a flight of stairs was, along with a door. Albert stated, "The door here leads into the dungeons which is where your Potions lessons will be held at. Walking up the flight of stairs, Albert paused at the first level, "This is the first floor, here your Charms lessons will be held along with History lessons.

Continuing up the stairs, Albert paused once more, "This is the second floor, your Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts classes will be held on these floors."

On each floor this occurred, and Alex took note of what classes were on what floors. Third floor had the Hospital Wing, while the fourth floor had the library, while the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors had the classes for older students, the eighth floor was their floor—the Lupicana's floor. Albert walked to the far right corner. Making sure that there were only the first years, and other Lupicanas who had simply tagged along for the heck of it, Albert leaned against the wall, he said just loud enough for them to hear, "Always knock three times against this wall then walk on through, now stay close to me, all right?" Albert knocked three times against the wall and walked right on through, all of the first years quickly hurried after him.

Neck craning to take in every detail, Alex took in the dark corridor as she followed the other first years, Tina and Shane sticking close to her. The corridors with its stone walls were only lit by silver torches with blue flames dancing atop them.

Alex heard one girl gasp, "These torches have wolves carved upon them!"

A boy, who Alex assumed was one of the older students remarked, "No! Why would there be wolves on them? Oh, wait! Our house is represented by the wolf!"

"Oh, shut up," a different girl's voice said, followed by the boy giving a grunt, presumably having been elbowed by the girl.

Albert stood waiting at the end of the corridor, though no one seemed to want to go anywhere near him.

Shane took the lead then, pushing his way through the other first years, Tina and Alex following right behind him. Finally reaching the front of the group, they saw why the others didn't want to go near Albert.

A large black statue of a wolf standing six feet at its shoulders, was prowling back and forth, stone hackles raised and lips drawn back in a snarl, revealing razor sharp, stone teeth, its sapphire eyes were locked on all of them. It came to a halt beside Albert and snarled, "I suggest you give the password before you take any further steps for they may be your last!"

"As you can see, Myre, here, isn't very friendly, so I suggest you memorize the password, he'll let you first years through just this one time since I'm telling it to you now…Totalus Immobilus."

Grudgingly, the wolf statue, Myre, stepped aside, though as all the first years shuffled past timidly, Alex, Shane, and Tina included, Myre continued to bear his teeth at them, though he didn't say anything.

Albert walked through a doorway and into a circular room with a couch, a couple of recliners, several tables with bean bag cushions for studying, and a fire place along with two stair cases, the entire room was a soft blue, with silver accents. "This is the Lupicana Common Room," he stated once all the first years had entered. "The two stairways lead up to the dormitories, the right is the boys' dormitories, left girls'. Get settled in your dorms and be back down here at eight, our head of house, Professor Read, will be speaking with all of us." He stepped aside and the rest of the first years started heading up to their dorms.

Shane shrugged, "Guess this is where we part for now."

"Yep," Alex said, while she gave Tina a nudge since her other friend seemed absolutely thrilled.

"Oh, er…right!" Tina quickly improvised.

Rolling his eyes, Shane followed the other first year boys up the stairs.

Likewise, Tina and Alex followed the other first year girls up the stairs until they reached a door with a polished wooden sign that read: First Year Girls. Pushing open the door revealed another circular room with four poster beds, enough for each first year girl, twenty in all, their trunks and other things all stacked in front of a bed. Luckily, Tina and Alex's beds were next to each other, so they could talk more easily if need be. The beds each had a dresser/nightstand next to them for their clothes and other items they may have brought.

Tina grinned triumphantly as she grabbed one of her many trunks and plopped it onto the bed, starting to place its contents into one of the drawers, "This school is amazing!"

"Agreed!" Alex said, grinning broadly as she too started to place some of her clothes from the luggage into the top drawer of the dresser. Lutore, so far, was everything that Alex had imagined it to be, and perhaps even better than that!

Alex looked to the clock that sat at the opposite side of the room from the door, the clock registering that it was seven thirty at night, plenty of time to unpack their things and get back downstairs to meet the head of their house.

"I can't wait to see what our class schedules are like!" her friend continued gushing about the school, moving on to her second trunk, though the first drawer on the dresser was miraculously still open and didn't look very full. "Plus, we get to meet our head of house, who must like all of us, right? Since we're a part of their house?" Tina paused thoughtfully gazing at Alex.

"I supposed," Alex mused, pausing as she gazed into her own first drawer, all of her clothes having shrunk down in size it seemed, or perhaps the drawer was just magically larger. Shrugging off the strangeness of the dresser, she simply opened her second trunk and continued to put the rest of her clothes in the top drawer, opening the second one for her books, which she was glad to see all fit into it. She continued to talk with Tina all the while, "I guess our head of house could hate us if they really wanted too."

"I know, but it seems like it'd be wrong," Tina argued. "I mean, why would you WANT to hate a student from your own house? Seems kind of silly to me!"

"Right," Alex muttered as she finally finished unpacking, watching Tina move on to her fourth trunk. She teased, "Bring your whole house with you?"

"And the kitchen sink!" Tina teased right back, continuing to unpack.

By the time Tina had unpacked all her bags (all of her items just fitting into the magic drawers) they had five minutes to spare as they headed downstairs with the few other stragglers.

Both of them were surprised to see the common room so packed full of students, seemingly all of the Lupicanas were in there.

Having spotted them, Shane managed to work his way over to them, "Apparently this talk happens every year, and all students have to listen."

"Brothers again?" Tina asked, sounding a bit annoyed that Shane knew more than she did.

Shane nodded, "They come in handy sometime."

Alex had to stifle her laughter, Tina merely shooting Shane a dark look before she gazed around the room, "Wonder how we'll know when the professor arrives?"

The common room door opened and silence fell upon all of the gathered students as a lanky man with black hair entered the room.

"That's how," Shane whispered. Tina glared at him once more.

The first thing Alex noticed about Professor Read was that he looked like he was recovering from an illness, his skin having a sickly pallor to it. The next thing she noticed were his eyes, they were a very light brown, almost amber in color, and as he gazed around at all of the students, they seemed to have a smiling light to them…that was until they landed on Alex. It was hard for her to suppress the shiver of fear that went down her spine as Professor Read's gaze became cold—colder than the harshest winter blizzard.

A touch on her shoulder nearly made Alex jump out of her robes with fright, but Theo's familiar voice asked, "What did you do to get on Professor Read's nerves? I've never seen him look at a first year like that before?"

"Really?" Shane questioned, looking perplexed as he gazed at the professor's back. "You mean he didn't take you, Simeon, and Vin as hooligans from the start?"

"Shaddup!" Vin's voice came from behind her as well as Shane staggered forward a bit, having been shoved.

Ignoring his brother's comment or the fact that Vin shoved Shane, Theo continued, "It's weird…Professor Read's known for liking first years because they're 'innocent' as he puts it."

This did nothing to soothe Alex. Before she could ask Theo for any possible reasons as to why Professor Read disliked her, the professor started to speak, his deep voice commanding their attention instantly, "Welcome to all of you to Lupicana house. To my older students, you know what I expect from you, his gaze swept the room, I don't want to hear that one of my older students is not aware of the rules, and there WILL be a quiz in the class over them just for all of you so I know you read them. If you lost your maps from previous years, please see me after I have addressed the first years. You may leave if there are no questions." He paused, his gaze sweeping over all of them, before he nodded, and most of the older students left, heading back up to their dormitories while a few sat on the couch sheepishly, apparently having lost their maps.

Alex kind of wished she could have asked Theo, Simeon, or Vin what maps Professor Read had been talking about, but she figured she'd find out.

"Now, first years, if you haven't already guessed, I'm Professor Read, head of this house and also the Potions Master here at Lutore. Our house is known for producing brave, daring, and respectful wizards and witches, many of you here have most, or all of these qualities, and even if you feel you don't, Lutore wouldn't have placed you in here if you didn't. While you're here at Lutore, you'll make friends, some enemies, you'll discover your talents, and most importantly you'll learn. As for what I can do to help as head of house, you can come to me with questions, concerns, or simply to chat if you'd like." The look he gave Alex as his gaze swept over them all told her otherwise, "Now, if you'll all step forward to get your class schedules and maps, and then I'll answer any questions."

Tina and Shane had to drag Alex over to Professor Read; she really, truly didn't want to go near the professor. Stuck in line between Shane and Tina, she watched Professor Read's gaze as it was kind and gentle towards the other students, even when Shane got his schedule and map. When Alex timidly reached for her schedule and map, she could feel his cold gaze on her, and she quickly took both pieces of parchment and hurried back over to Shane, whose gaze was filled with concern for her.

Tina's was the same as she walked back over to them, whispering to Alex, "What could you have possibly done to irritate him?"

"Search me!" Alex whispered back. It was EXTREMELY obvious that Professor Read did not like her in the slightest.

Once all of the first years had their schedules and maps, Professor Read started to speak once more, "Now, your schedules should be pretty self-explanatory, you have an hour to two hour classes, each set either during the day or in the early evening, it is also listed at what times meals will be served at. You'll notice that you do not have all your classes every day, but you do have each class more than once a week. Now, as for your maps." He pulled showed them one of the maps he had in his hand, "This map is rigged with a spell to help you get to your classes and to find a teacher, or Lutore to assist you if you manage to get extremely lost. You will keep these maps through all the seven years you attend Lutore then you will return them once you've graduated. As for how you use them, you simply tap them with your wand and say the name of the class you will be heading to and the map will provide you with directions on how to get there. Are there any questions about your schedules or maps?" His gaze went around the room once more, and he waited several seconds, but upon seeing no hands raised, he continued, "I do expect a lot from the students in my house, and as I told the older students, they will be having a quiz tomorrow on the rules, all of you will have one as well, but at the end of the week. I expect you all to get Excellents on them, is that clear?" They all nodded. "You may go to your dorms and remember to get to bed early tonight. I do not tolerate any tardiness to my classes." Finished speaking with them, he walked towards the Common Room door and left.

The other first years started talking excitedly, "Wasn't he a cool professor?"

"Yeah! I mean, he actually took an interest in us!"

"Seemed a bit strict to me…"

"So what? Strict usually means that they're fun as well!"

Tina mused, "He did seem nice…"

"Yeah, but not to everyone…" Shane finished for her.

Alex could feel both of their gazes on her, and she knew her two new friends were worried. It'd take her a long time to forget how cold Professor Read's gaze had been whenever he looked her way. She didn't even think her aunt and uncle's gazes had ever been that cold towards her, but then again, they thought she was quite a nice toy to parade around. Alex wouldn't have minded if the professor didn't like her, she'd almost prefer it, since everyone seemed to feel that she could do no wrong, but just from his eyes, Professor Read didn't simply dislike Alex, he absolutely loathed her.

Deciding to try and lighten the mood, Alex said, "Let's see what our first class is tomorrow!" Tina and Shane followed suit, apparently glad to change the subject. Since they were first years, their schedules were the same:

Magical Creatures-Grade I: 6a.m.-7a.m. Monday & Tuesday, 3p.m.-5p.m. Thursday

Herbology-Grade I: 7a.m.-8a.m. Monday & Friday, 6a.m.-8a.m. Wednesday

History of Magic-Grade I: 10a.m.-11a.m. Tuesday & Thursday, 3p.m-5p.m. Wednesday

Defense Against the Dark Arts-Grade I: 6a.m.-7a.m. Thursday & Friday, Tuesday 7p.m.-9p.m.

Charms-Grade I: 7a.m.-8a.m. Tuesday & Thursday, 1p.m.-3p.m. Wednesday

Transfiguration-Grade I: 9a.m.-10a.m. Wednesday & Thursday, 7p.m.-9p.m. Thursday

Potions-Grade I: 7p.m.-8p.m. Monday & Wednesday, 7p.m.-9p.m. Friday

Breakfast: 5a.m-7a.m.

Lunch: 11a.m.-1p.m.

Dinner: 5p.m.-7p.m.

Shane commented, "We're going to be kept busy…"

"You can say that again," Alex agreed.

"What do you mean?" Tina questioned. "It's not that bad!"

Shane and Alex tried their hardest to hide their disbelief, but they didn't succeed, their mouths hanging open in shock at Tina's words.

"What?" Tina asked. "It's not that bad. We do get breaks."

"Yeah, to do our homework, not lounge around!" Shane grouched.

Before her two friends could really get going, Alex said hastily, "I'm sure we'll find time to relax!"

"Right," Tina and Shane both said, Tina more brightly than Shane.

Tina smiled after they both said good night to Shane and were heading up to their dorm, "I can't wait for classes tomorrow, can you?"

"No!" Alex agreed, forcing happiness into her voice. She couldn't wait for all of her classes, but she could wait for Potions.


	6. Chapter 6: Quill Pals

********I do not own any part of Harry Potter, merely the characters that I created for this story-which is for my own enjoyment! All errors are, of course, my own. Sorry for the long wait! Hope you like this chapter!********

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

**Quill Pals**

Students were up early the next morning, groggily making their way to the Dining Hall. Alex and Shane had to guide a half-asleep, Tina, to the Dining Hall.

Tina grouched as she sat down at the table, "Who sets up the schedules? I mean really! Six o'clock classes?! In the morning?!"

Albert sat down across from them, stifling a yawn as he answered Tina's question, "Headmaster Corbit, that's who. Don't let him catch you saying stuff like that."

"He sits up there!" Tina snapped, gesturing at the head table, where some teachers were seated, and the Headmaster's chair was noticeably empty.

A voice behind the three of them said, "Not always. I do enjoy getting to know the students of my school." Headmaster Corbit stood behind them in his cobalt blue robes, green eyes holding a glint of mischief.

Tina sat rigid in her seat, her cheeks flushing to a brilliant shade of scarlet.

"You'll have to excuse them, sir, they're only first years who don't know any better," Albert said, standing to attention.

The headmaster chuckled, "They're fine, Albert. I'm sure it's odd for them to see the headmaster wandering around the hall and chatting with students." He looked at the back of Tina's head and said, "Young lady, if you could turn around and face me please."

Slowly and reluctantly, Tina turned to face Headmaster Corbit, her cheeks, if possible, getting redder.

"I'm afraid I don't know your name," he said casually.

"Tina Foye, sir," Tina answered in a whisper.

Green eyes shining, he nodded in recognition of the name, "Ah, yes! Foye, and how is your father doing?"

"Good, Sir."

"Still in the Bureau of Magic?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's good to hear," Headmaster Corbit said, still smiling at Tina, who was resolutely not looking at him, cheeks still scarlet with embarrassment.

Squatting down so that Tina's downturned face would be facing his, Headmaster Corbit smiled at her, "You're fine, child. I'm quite a strange headmaster, or that's what people tell me!"

A small smile appeared on Tina's face and Headmaster Corbit nodded, standing up straight once more and turning to Shane, "I'm assuming you're Shane Wolfshire?"

"Yes, Sir!" Shane said quickly, startled that the headmaster knew his name.

"I was wondering when it'd be that you'd arrive. I hope you're more like Albert then Theo. I like seeing students in my office for good reasons, not because they've been caught trying to bewitch a suit of armor to hug rival house students."

His gaze then rested on Alex, bright green eyes meeting sapphire blue, "And you're Alex Grant." His gaze seemed to bore into her very soul and Alex was forced to look away. Still smiling, he said quietly, "I look forward to seeing how you'll do here at Lutore." Nodding to all of them, he started walking towards the head table.

"Well that last bit was underwhelming," Tina muttered. "I thought for sure he'd talk with you more, I mean, you're you after all!"

Alex shrugged. Admittedly, she was relieved the headmaster hadn't made a fuss over her or spoken to her longer.

"He is quite weird," Tina continued.

Shane added, "But brilliant."

"Of course he's brilliant!" Albert scolded them. "He's the youngest headmaster in the history of the school! And you'd all do best to remember that." He then went back to his breakfast, casting them irritated glances as they continued to talk.

"It is weird that he didn't speak with you that much though, Alex," Shane commented. "I mean, he talked with Tina and I way more."

Alex reassured her friends, "It's fine, really. I don't want the extra attention. And believe it or not, I'm glad he didn't speak with me as much as you two."

Tina gave her a skeptical look while Shane seemed to be fine with Alex's words.

"Well, if it were me, I'd be insulted that he hadn't spoken with me as long as my friends," Tina stated haughtily.

Before Alex could respond, Shane muttered, "Thank God everyone isn't like you."

"I think we should head to class!" Alex said quickly, standing up. Though she'd barely touched her breakfast, she didn't really want to eat with her two friends bickering.

This statement seemed to please Albert though as he checked his watch, "Yes, it's quarter to six, best get down to the grounds!"

"And how do you know our schedule so well?" Shane asked his eldest brother.

Albert looked indignant, "I'm a House Assistant, I have to know these things!" With that, he stood up and left the table.

With a resigned, sigh, Tina stood up, pulling out her map, "I suppose we should see where our first class is at." Touching the tip of her wand to the map, she said, "Magical Creatures-Grade One."

The map gave off a faint glow as it traced a path to their Magical Creatures class, there was only one path to follow, and that was through the door that was apparently at the back of the dining hall and through a corridor that led outside towards the Wailing Woods, though the path stopped just before the woods.

"Simple enough directions," Alex mused.

Tina nodded in agreement, "I hope it's this easy to get to the rest of our classes."

Shane added, "Or that we didn't get defective maps."

"Always the positive one, aren't you?" Tina commented dryly.

Alex sighed as Shane and Tina started to go at it again. She was amazed that they'd tolerated each other for so long really. Something told her both of them didn't want to stop hanging around with the other simply because it meant not hanging out with her. Sighing again, she tapped her map with her wand and said, "Magical Creatures-Grade One." The path lit up on her map and she led the way towards the class, heading to the back of the Dining Hall, a bickering Shane and Tina following her.

Pushing open the massive door, Alex was relieved to see that the corridor was lit up with torches, making it much easier to walk through. Tina and Shane stopped their bickering to look around the corridor.

"They're all so huge!" Tina said. "You wonder who carved them out like this!"

Alex said, "If I had to guess, I'd say dragons, long before Lutore or the four founders."

"Makes you wonder what happened to them then," Shane murmured.

"Let's not!" Alex said, a chill going up her spine at the thought of dragons, larger than Lutore still around and not even a millionth as friendly. She honestly liked Lutore, but that didn't mean she liked all dragons, the young dragon that had attacked her had definitely made an impression on her, and not one that she was about to forget anytime soon.

Pushing on the door that led outside, it slowly swung open with a grinding sound.

"That's different," Alex commented, cautiously heading outside followed by Shane, with Tina trailing behind them.

They soon saw why the door had made such a noise. The door was basically a large, carved boulder that blended pretty well with its surroundings. As it swung shut once more, it was hard to tell if there was really a door there at all.

"I'm really happy we have these maps now," Tina stated.

"Yeah," Alex and Shane agreed.

Walking down a fairly steep slope, they realized that the Wailing Woods was in a valley, and that their class was right on the edge of it.

Bill spotted them and waved, Alex returned the greeting while Shane and Tina did so, but more hesitantly.

"Do you know him?" Tina asked.

Alex nodded, half-lying again, "Yeah, I met him earlier this year." Tina didn't look too impressed with Bill.

Though they weren't the first students to arrive, there were only two other students there, two Slippotts; identified by the patches on their robes of their house animal and colors.

Tina asked in an indignant whisper, "Why don't we have those?"

"We do," Shane said, pointing to his robes where the Lupicana silhouette of their house animal, the wolf, stood out in silver against a blue background all contained in a shield. "They've been there since we were sorted."

"Really?" Alex asked, having only noticed that morning.

They had reached Bill by then, and he overheard their conversation, "He's right. Those are magically attached as soon as Lutore decides what house you're in. Not many first years notice though, since they're too distracted by Lutore usually." He smiled at Alex, "It's good to see you again, Alex. Who are your friends?"

"This is Tina, and this is Shane," Alex said, gesturing to her two friends.

Tina and Shane said in almost perfect unison, "Nice to meet you, Sir." They both proceeded to glare at each other then.

"Don't call me, sir, it makes me feel old," Bill said. "Professor Looncra when we have class and Bill any other time."

"What do you mean by any other time?" Shane questioned.

Bill smiled, "If you'll all see me after class I'll elaborate." He then asked before they could ask him more questions, "Are you three excited for your first class?"

"Yes," they all answered.

Bill sighed, "I was afraid you'd say that. Unfortunately, you're not going to find this one very interesting." He glanced up as more students started to arrive. "Again, see me after class you three."

"What did he mean by that?" Shane wondered aloud.

Alex shrugged, "I don't really know." She had been looking forward to Bill's class since last night. He'd been the first adult to tell her she wasn't a squib, or treat her like a waste of space, plus he was fun to be around as she'd discovered in Great Jones Alley.

Tina commented as she watched Bill, "He doesn't have the persona of a professor."

"Does any professor that we've met so far have one?" Shane demanded.

Just as Tina was about to snap back, Alex begged, "Don't start, please!" Shane and Tina obliged, though they lapsed into silence then, and Alex knew they were glaring at each other once more.

Once the rest of the class of Slippotts and Lupicanas had arrived, Bill started his class, "Morning, Sleepy Heads! I'm Professor Looncra, today's class is going to be mainly focused on discussing what we're going to be doing in class along with a few rules as well." His gaze swept over all of them that were gathered. "Now, show of hands, who has their book with them?"

Alex, Shane, Tina, and several others raised their hands, Bill nodded, "I'm glad some students came prepared, but unless I tell you otherwise in class, you won't be needing them. This is a hands-on class. You're going to get dirty and sweaty, possibly a bit scuffed up and bruised, but that's highly unlikely with the creatures we'll be working with."

A girl in their house raised her hand, "Yes, say your name and then ask your question."

"Pricilla Bonway," the girl answered, pushing her blond locks nervously out of the way of her glasses. "What sort of creatures will we be working with, Professor?"

Bill chuckled, "That's a good question. I know all of you were looking forward to working with interesting creatures, but unfortunately, your only first years, so I'm only going to be showing you X class and XX class creatures, and for those of you who haven't cracked open your text books, they're basically the harmless and slightly harmful creatures that any wizard or witch could handle. That being said, when we have our two hour classes, I may show you some more interesting creatures, though they'll be surprises." His gaze became serious then, as did his tone, "Now for the not-so-fun stuff. Rules. Though the creatures we'll be handling this year will not be dangerous, you are required to take this class for two years, meaning that we'll be working with creatures later on that may be dangerous if not treated with respect or handled properly. I expect students to listen to the directions I give them, if you're hurt for not listening, don't expect sympathy or pity from me because I'll be giving you quite an earful, not to mention detentions for quite some time. You are to NEVER strike, beat, or use magic on any of the creatures you're working with. The only time I expect to see that kind of behavior is if the creature is trying to kill you, but that won't happen with the creatures I'll show you this year, or even in your second, if you continue to take the class, then perhaps. Now, I don't mind if you're a little late to class, however, if you're ten minutes late, you will receive a detention, and trust me, you don't want to serve detention with me, especially if you don't like getting dirty."

Alex heard several girls swallow nervously, Tina included.

Bill continued, his tone and gaze regaining their laughing gleam, "All that aside, I do want you guys to have fun and don't be afraid to ask me any questions, are we clear?"

"Yes, Professor," the class answered.

"Good," Bill said. "Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to introductions among the class since I'll have you work in teams or pairs, and not always with your own house either. So just go around and say your name for my benefit and your classmates."

So they went around the group, each introducing themselves, as soon as Alex said her name, she could feel almost everyone's eyes on her.

Bill regained their attention fairly quickly though, "Today we're going to talk about one of the most boring creatures in the world, and I apologize for that. We're going to discuss Flobberworms."

Alex now understood why Bill had said that class wouldn't be fun. Flobberworms were truly one of the most boring magical creatures ever, or at least that's what she'd heard from wizards talking with her aunt and uncle about the creatures. She was interested in actually seeing one though.

"Who can tell me what a Flobberworm is?" Bill questioned.

Pricilla's hand went into the air, "Yes, Pricilla?"

"It's a thick, brown worm that reaches up to ten inches in length, it doesn't move a lot, and it eats just about any vegetation, though it prefers lettuce."

"Very good, five points to Lupicana," Bill said, smiling. "Anyone know anything else about Flobberworms?"

A carrot-top raised his head, freckles on his cheeks, "You can't tell one end from the other."

"That's correct, Riley, five points to Slippott." Bill then continued, "I don't seem needed here, you all seem to know quite a bit about them already!" This got a laugh from the class. "Flobberworms secrete a mucus, which is where they got their name from, the mucus tends to be used to thicken potions." Bill then walked over to crate that was sitting just at the edge of the woods and brought it over, "This is a Flobberworm." He glanced up, "Well, get over here and look!"

Everyone was in a good mood as they all gazed at the Flobberworm, the thick brown creature was munching on some lettuce that was in its crate. Even though it was a boring creature, Bill was managing to make the class fun.

Bill straightened up and sighed, "You're all going to be sad to hear this, but this is pretty much all I have for you today. Before you start cheering," this set several people laughing once more. "Your homework for the week is to care for a Flobberworm, all you have to do is come down to my cabin over there…" He point to a small log cabin that was right against the mountain, they could just make it out from where they were in the valley. "And feed them. There will be crates right out front for you with your names on them so you'll know which Flobberworm is yours and there will be a container of possible foods to feed them with as well. If you read up on them, you'll know how many times to feed them and how much to feed them. If your Flobberworm is alive at the end of the week, you'll get E's, if your worm is dead, well…you're grade won't be off to a good start." He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at the time, "You have twenty minutes before your next class. So you can sit out here and enjoy the sunshine for a bit, or you can start heading over to your classes."

All the students sat down on the grass, enjoying the sunshine, Alex, Tina, and Shane walked over to Bill, who was watching the other students, making sure no one decided to try and walk into the Wailing Woods.

"You wanted us to see you after class?" Alex said.

Bill nodded, "If you three want to come down here after your Herbology lesson, we can chat." He saw Tina's skeptical look, "I assure you I'm not going to bore you with talk about magical creatures."

"Aren't professors not supposed to pick favorite students?" Tina questioned.

Bill shrugged, "Probably. I never said I was picking favorites."

Shane didn't look that thrilled with the idea of visiting Bill either, but Alex trusted Bill, and she said, "Sure, I'll come down after Herbology." Shane and Tina's expressions were almost identical as they gazed at her in shock.

"Sounds good then," Bill said, smiling.

Leaving Bill to watch the class, Alex, Tina, and Shane sat down in the grass. Tina demanded, "Why did you agree to meet him?"

"He's not dangerous," Alex said.

Tina snorted, "He could be a pervert!"

"I don't think he'd be allowed to teach then," Alex stated.

Shane asked, "Why do you trust him?"

Feeling uncomfortable, knowing she'd have to confess that she hadn't been completely truthful with her friends, she said, "He's the one who got me out of my aunt and uncle's house and took me around Great Jones Alley…"

"Good enough for me," Shane said, not at all upset that Alex hadn't been upfront with them to begin with. "I'll come with you after Herbology."

Tina released an irritated sigh, "I guess I'll go too. Someone has to keep you two out of trouble!" She then asked Alex, "Why didn't you tell us that to begin with?"

"I just didn't want you to think I'd be treated differently because I had met one of professors already."

"We wouldn't do that," Shane answered before Tina could say anything.

Looking irritated still, Tina still put her two cents in, "He's right! We wouldn't think that, but I guess none of us really know each other that well…"

An awkward silence spanned between the three friends then, that continued as they finally got up when Bill called out that they had ten minutes to get to their next class, Shane used his map this time, "Herbology-Grade One." The path that lit up on the map led past Bill's cabin around to the back of the mountain.

"Simple enough," Shane murmured, leading the way.

As they were walking past Bill's cabin, Alex finally said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about Bill, it's just…I've never had any friends before, so I'm kind of new at this sort of thing…"

"Don't worry!" Tina said, smiling. "We'll help you out, and we'll never leave you hanging high and dry!"

Shane put his arms around both their shoulders, semi-swatting Tina with the map that was in his left hand, "She's right! We'll help you figure things out!"

"Great, she'll never get used to having friends if you're helping out," Tina said, removing Shane's arm from her shoulders, her tone was actually teasing this time.

Shane rolled his eyes, "I think she has to worry about you more!"

Glad that the awkward silence had disappeared, Alex joined in on the teasing, "The way you two disagree it'll be a wonder if I know up from down!"

Laughing as they reached the greenhouses where their Herbology class was at, they entered Greenhouse One like the map said, and they instantly stopped laughing. Standing around the tables were the first year Hystifors the red and black patches identifying them.

"Oh, fun!" Shane muttered.

Tina added to that, "And look who's here."

"Dylan and his two cronies," Alex stated.

Shane led the way over to a table far away from the other Hystifors where Pricilla Bonway was already at. She looked up at them in surprise as they gathered around her table, Alex moving to stand beside her.

"Y-you're A-Alex Grant!" She stuttered.

"Unfortunately…" Alex muttered to herself before saying in regular tone, "And you're Pricilla."

"Y-you remembered?!" Pricilla's light brown eyes grew wide behind her glasses.

Alex nodded, about as amazed as Pricilla that she'd remembered. Trying to cover up this fact, Alex said, "I hope you don't mind us joining you."

"N-not at all," Pricilla said, looking at the table as if her life depended on it, though her eyes kept going to Alex's scar. "I-I di-didn't think a-anyone would want to b-be ne-near me…"

Alex, Shane, and Tina exchanged confused looks. "Why not?" Tina finally asked, "You're obviously very smart."

Pricilla's face flushed to a scarlet color, "I'm j-just a n-nerd."

"Lucky for you then, we like nerds," Shane said. "I'm kind of considered one by my brother, Theo, though nowhere near as bad as my other brother, Albert."

Laughing nervously, Pricilla stopped laughing as suddenly as she started as a man in emerald green robes entered, his head covered by a carrot colored hair that was combed over to hide his bald spot, though it wasn't succeeding. He was a portly man, and though he looked like he'd be a fun professor, it soon became obvious that he wouldn't be one of them, "Silence now. Class has started!" His deep voice boomed out, "I'm Professor Pepperkrom, and I shall be teaching you about various magical plants and their properties. Now…" He droned on and on about his class that eventually Alex and Tina tuned him out, while Shane and Pricilla paid attention, both of them answering Professor Pepperkrom's questions when he asked them. The only time they paid attention was when he mentioned that they didn't have any homework, otherwise the class passed by in a blur.

"That was interesting, wasn't it?" Shane asked as they started heading towards Bill's cabin after class.

Alex shrugged, admitting, "He lost my interest after he introduced himself.

"You mean, you paid attention?" Tina asked, looking surprised. "You must like plants."

Shane rolled his eyes, "If you were listening you would have learned that Umbrella Plants..."

Tina cut him off, "Don't care!"

"You can tell me later," Alex reassured Shane since he actually looked a bit crestfallen that he had been the only one to pay attention.

Reaching Bill's cabin, Alex knocked on the door. As they waited for it to open, the most low and distinctive warbling cry startled them, and they backed away from the door, looking around for the creature that had made the sound, it was a heart rendering one as well as terrifying.

Opening the door, Bill commented casually, "I guess we'll be getting rain soon if it's decided to sing."

"That's not singing!" Tina exclaimed. "That was…that was…!"

Bill moved to the corner of his cabin, and moved a branch on a bush, motioning them closer to see whatever is in the bushes.

To Alex, the creature looked like a greenish-black, underfed vulture, sitting in a tear-shaped nest among the bush, which she noted, seemed to have thorns on it.

Bill explained quietly as he let the branch return to its original position and headed back into his cabin, holding the door open for them, "It's an Augurey, and they only sing when rain is on the way, so either tonight, or tomorrow, we'll have rain."

"It was such a scary sounding cry though," Tina tried to argue.

"Who's the magical creature expert?" Bill questioned good naturedly as he shut the door. "It used to be said that the Augurey's cry foretold death, but it was proven to be a myth, and like I said, they really just sing when it's going to rain."

"That's pretty neat right, Alex…Alex?!" Shane asked, wondering why she hadn't responded.

Alex had found herself besieged by two cat-like creatures with large ears, and tails like lions. The only difference between the pair was that one had white fur with black spots, while the other was golden with brown speckles. Their eyes were amber in color and they leapt around Alex and onto her, making a strange rumbling sound. "Help," she managed to say as the golden one perched on her shoulder and stared at her intently, still making a rumbling sound.

"Don't worry, Alex," Bill said, fighting back a smile. "They're not attacking you, they actually seem to like you. The white one is Jerry, the golden one is Teaser, they're Kneazles."

"Kneazles?" Alex questioned as the two creatures left her to investigate Shane and Tina, giving them similar greetings.

Bill explained, "They're a magical pet that wizards can have, though you need a license to own them. They're very intelligent, and can guide their owner home if the owner is lost, and they can breed with muggle cats. Usually they're classified as independent, but these two are unique in that aspect, they're quite friendly to just about everyone." Emphasizing Bill's last statement, Jerry was hanging like a white and black scarf on Tina's shoulders, while Teaser was rubbing against Alex's legs, and then proceeding to rub against Shane's.

"Goofy things the both of you," Bill said, which earned him two outraged hisses as Jerry and Teaser stalked into a different room looking thoroughly offended. "They'll forgive me," two hisses rang out again. "Eventually…"

The three friends laughed, sitting down at the little round table that seated four.

Bill sat in the last chair, musing, "Here I am boring you with talk of magical creatures when I said I wouldn't." He shook his head in mock despair. "I am getting old!"

"It's interesting though!" Alex said, watching as Jerry and Teaser peeked around the door frame at them. "I didn't know what they were until you explained that."

"Still, I didn't invite you three down here to bore you with that knowledge," he casually glanced at the two Kneazles, who hissed at him once more and disappeared into the room again. Shaking his head, a small smile on his face, he asked, "So are you three enjoying Lutore so far?"

"It's been great!" Tina answered.

"And your professors?"

"Professor Pepperkrom is a bore," Tina muttered.

Shane shot her a quick glare before he said, "I actually liked Professor Pepperkrom."

"And of course I'm your favorite professor so far so we don't even need to go there," Bill teased, standing up as a kettle on the stove started to whistle, signifying that it had finished boiling. Jerry and Teaser promptly shot out of the room and took his seat.

Bill asked them as he filled up several cups with the tea, "Any particular subjects that you three are looking forward to?"

Tina answered, "I'm really looking forward to taking Charms, but we don't have that till tomorrow…"

"Herbology sounds really interesting," Shame commented, receiving a roll of the eyes from Tina.

Alex said, "I'm interested in what we'll learn in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Bill set their cups down in front of them and then glared at Teaser and Jerry who simply gazed up at him smugly, "Hopefully you'll get to take that class, since Headmaster Corbit hasn't found a teacher yet, though he did mention that he may have someone by tonight if he could convince them."

"Why is he having problems finding a teacher?" Shane questioned, before he started to drink his tea. Tina and Alex had already started on theirs.

Bill answered as he moved to lean against the kitchen counter, "Well…we haven't been able to keep a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for more than a year, so many believe the job to be cursed. Headmaster Corbit says that it's more due to the fact that he only offers them a year contract at first to see if they like the position, and then at the end of it, they simply refuse to go another year."

"That's a downer…" Alex muttered.

Bill smiled, "Don't worry too much. All else fails, Professor Read will take a double load of classes and teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, or if he does refuse, Headmaster Corbit may actually teach it."

All their mouths fell open, but it was Tina who voiced their thoughts, "Headmaster Corbit may teach the class?!"

"He hasn't yet," Bill stated. "And I know for a fact that today Professor Read is teaching the class today. It's only if he felt that Professor Read had bitten off more than he could chew." Bill's smile grew larger, as if he was enjoying a private joke. "Speaking of Professor Read, how do you three like your Head of House?"

Tina and Shane both looked at Alex than, giving her worried glances. Alex really didn't want to tell Bill what she thought, especially since it seemed that Professor Read was a well-respected professor.

"Those looks worry me," Bill murmured, sounding concerned as he asked, "Alex? Why are they looking at you like that?"

"Well…he doesn't seem to like me," Alex answered.

Bill tried to put a smile on his face, but he didn't succeed, and he looked uncomfortable, as he laughed nervously, "How so?"

Alex felt as uncomfortable as Bill looked, "Well…I could be misunderstanding his look…"

"Unlikely," Tina stated firmly.

"But I'm pretty sure he glared at me every time he looked my way," Alex managed to finish.

Shane put in, "Tina and I saw it as well! His look definitely changed when he looked at Alex."

"…Bill…" Tina seemed to have a hard time addressing a professor by their first name, even if he had given her permission to do so, "Do you know why?"

Bill really looked like he wished he'd never asked them about their Head of House, "Well…!"

He was cut off as Lutore's voice boomed out throughout the grounds, and presumably throughout the entire school, "First years need to report to the Dining Hall by nine o'clock, professors are asked to let the first years leave their classes early!"

Shooting a grateful look at the ceiling of his cabin, Bill started to shepherd them out of his cabin, "Well, you three heard Lutore, you need to report to the Dining Hall!"

"But-!" Tina tried to protest.

Bill stated, "It's already quarter to. You need to get moving!"

Shane looked a bit worried, as they were all shepherded through the door, "Hey! How do…?!" The door closed in their faces, "I really hope our maps tell us how to get back in…"

"Only one way to find out," Alex murmured, pulling out her map, "Dining Hall!" They all sighed with relief as the map showed them a route back to the school.

Following the path on the map as quickly as they could, they came to the base of the mountain where the map was indicating they could get back in.

"Um…" Tina looked between Shane and Alex. "Now what?"

Alex studied the map, and saw a small figure tapping the mountain with a wand and saying, _Kneazle Beazle._ Feeling a bit foolish, Alex tapped the rock in front of her with her wand, "Kneazle Beazle!" Tina snorted with contained laughter, while Shane gave her look that said he wasn't sure if he should be concerned about her, or laughing. "It said to do that!"

A grinding sound as the door started to slowly open had them all backing up quickly to let the door open without crushing them in the process.

"Three guesses who came up with the password for the this door, and the first two don't count," Shane stated.

Alex answered, recalling his unique pets, "Bill, especially since he has two Kneazles."

"How do you two retain such information?" Tina inquired. "I can barely remember that their names were Terry and Jeaser!" Alex and Shane couldn't help it, they laughed at her. "What?!" She asked indignantly until she realized what she said, and joined them in laughing.

They made it to the dining hall with time to spare, and sat down with their other, fellow Lupicana first years.

Alex found herself looking around the hall, and her gaze immediately went to Lutore, who was laying behind the raised platform the professors sat at along with Headmaster Corbit. This time his tail wasn't curled around it though. The dragon looked at Alex as if he felt her gaze on him, and his gaze locked with hers for a second, and he gave a slight nod, before his gaze went back to roving the Dining Hall.

Sitting at the table were only five people, including Headmaster Corbit, and the Lupicana's Head of House, Professor Read. She didn't recognize the three other people.

"Whoa!" Tina's voice caused Alex to look at her friend, "What is it?"

Tina pointed up, and Alex saw what had caused her to say "whoa". Above them were many, many, many owls of all different species doing aerial acrobatics above them. "Wow!"

Shane wondered what had gotten their attention and followed their gazes up as well, and added his own comment, "Cool!" He frowned then, "But why are all these owls here?"

Tina and Alex had no answer to his question, but luckily, it was apparently nine o'clock as Headmaster Corbit stood up, along with the other four professors, but while they walked down the steps of the raised platforms towards each of the tables, he merely stayed where he was, "Thank you all for coming. Here at Lutore, we have a tradition of having our first years write to another wizarding school first year. This helps to foster understanding between you and other wizarding students about other schools, from different cultures, different life styles. Now, even though any letters you may write after your second letter to your quill pal, aren't mandatory, I highly encourage all of you to keep in contact with your quill pals. For you never know when you may need a friend, regardless of how far away they may be." He glanced down at the four professors and nodded at them, and each started to hand out sheets of parchments, and quills, "Now your heads of house are handing you a blank sheet of parchment and a quill, you are to write a letter to your new quill pals, however, I do not want you to use your real name, nor to describe your physical features. There are still some wizards who would cause you harm if these letters were somehow intercepted. You will sign with a quill-name, one that is made up of two words and a number. For example, CobaltDragon73, SpynxMinx18, GoldGal3, and other quill-names like that. Apart from that, you may put what you want, apart from being rude to your correspondent. Once you have finished writing your letter, raise your finished parchment up into the air and one of the owls soaring above you will grab your parchment and take it to your quill pal. This owl will be the only one that knows who you and your quill pal are and will deliver the letters between the two of you. Now…are there any questions?"

One of the Hystifors raised their hand, and when the headmaster nodded at them, giving them permission to speak, the boy, who had freckles on his face and red hair, asked, "How will you know if we write a second letter or not?"

The Headmaster smiled then, mischief shining in his eyes, "I have my ways, and to make myself even clearer, there are…unsightly…consequences to not writing your second letter to your quill pal."

Another hand shot up into the air from the Wiszik table. A dark skinned girl, with black hair, and an air of authority about her, "How are we supposed to write a letter with no ink to dip our quills in?"

"Those quills that you were given are a special quill that doesn't require you to dip them in ink. They draw the ink from a large ink pot so that you may simply write and not worry about your quills needing more ink." Headmaster Corbit looked around, "Any other questions?" Seeing none, he said, "You may start writing your letters."

Alex was fairly glad that she'd missed Professor Read giving her a sheet of parchment and a quill, having been too busy paying attention to Headmaster Corbit to really notice him. Glancing at the sheet of parchment, she was at a loss as to what to write. Taking a glance at her two friends, she saw that they were in the same boat. What did you write to a person you didn't know anything about? Heck, they didn't even know what wizarding school their quill-pals went to! Looking around, she noticed that many people, including students at other tables, were having the same problem as she was.

Frowning at the parchment, she wrote the only word she could think of to start the letter off with, "Hello".

The scratching of quills writing could be heard throughout the hall, and Alex found herself really unsure as to what to say in her letter. Still frowning at it, a calm voice asked behind her, "Need help getting started?"

Nearly leaping out of her chair from fright, she glanced over her shoulder to see Headmaster Corbit standing behind her. "Um…I guess…" was all she could manage to say, feeling a bit uncomfortable that the headmaster had singled her out.

Leaning over her shoulder, he read the one word that she had and stated, "Well, you have your initial greeting. You can always say that you go to Lutore, talk about a few hobbies you have, things you like to do, classes that you like so far…" He looked directly at her then, "Anything clicking yet?"

Something actually had clicked, "Yeah…thank you, Headmaster."

Straightening up, he nodded at Alex and said, "Glad I could help, before he moved on down the table row, though he didn't get very far, stopping at Pricilla, who Alex had missed was sitting next to Shane.

Relieved that she wasn't the only one that was receiving help from the headmaster, she looked around, and saw that the heads of houses were walking around their tables and helping students out as well.

Now knowing what she wanted to write, Alex started to write, glad that she didn't have to stop her train of thought by dipping her quill into an ink pot. After she had finished writing, she re-read her letter:

Hello,

I'm a student currently attending Lutore School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, and it's a tradition at our school for first years to write a letter to a different first year from another wizarding school. Honestly, this is my first day of classes, but so far, I really like my Care of Magical Creatures class, since the professor can make even the most boring creatures interesting! I'm really not looking forward to Potions later today, since the professor doesn't seem to like me all the much (the kicker is he's the head of my house as well)! So far, I like it here at Lutore, it's really interesting!

Though I can't really say that I have any hobbies, I love to fly and I can't wait to play Quidditch (though I don't think first years can since we aren't allowed brooms…not sure though…) I really want to be a seeker, since I've caught golf balls for my younger cousins back home. Can't say I'm a first rate seeker, but I hope I can make my house team! That'd be a nice break from homework! Even if I can't play Quidditch this year, at least there should be some games between the houses. I really hope there isn't just Quodpot games, which aren't even half as interesting as Quidditch. My favorite team is the Southern Spitfires, who are looking pretty good this year. I'm hoping they make it to the world cup!

Apart from that, I really don't know what else to write…hopefully I'll have a better idea once I get a reply (is it mandatory for you to write a letter?) Anyway! Hope to hear back from you!

Sincerely,

Alex was content with her letter, but now she needed to come up with a quill-name. She went through some in her head, wanting seeker in the name, _SeekerDragon13, GoldSeeker4, SpitfireSeeker2, WolfSeeker33, LightningSeeker55, gah!_ She wanted to bang her head against the table. None of the quill-names she came up with sounded right. Eventually, she signed the parchment: _DreamSeeker13._

Looking over her letter once more, she rolled it up, and held it in the air. By now, many of the students had finished their letters, and owls were plummeting down to grab the letters. A white streak shot down towards Alex, talons extended, as the white owl snagged the letter from her hand and took off towards one of the open windows.

Shane, who had finished his letter several minutes ago said, "Wow! That was a Snowy Owl! They're pretty rare to see, even around here!"

"You're lucky," Tina commented as she lowered her hand, which had held a parchment only moments before, "I can't tell mine from any other owl!"

Shane muttered, "Good thing the owls are better at identifying people!"

"So!" Alex said, covering up Shane's mutterings, though Tina obviously heard part of it, "Shall we tend to our Flobberworms after this and then relax before Potions?"

After attending to their designated Flobberworms, and attempting to talk to Bill, though the professor apparently wasn't in. The three of them relaxed in the common room until dinner, having assumed themselves with several games of Wizards' Chess, which Alex quite enjoyed once she had the hang of it, and even beat Shane. Tina merely watched them play, saying chess wasn't her type of game.

At five, the three of them headed down to dinner, the three joined by Simeon, Theo, and Vin. "I wouldn't head down the stairs to the Dining Hall if I were you three!" Vin said fiendishly.

"Oh! And why is that?" Tina asked, not sounding very interested.

"Considering we may or may not have set a little prank for Albert and the other H.A.'s well…" Theo shrugged his shoulders.

Simeon said, "We'd just thought we'd save you the grief of possibly getting entangled in it."

"That is very helpful of you!" Tina said, wanting to avoid whatever the trio had set up.

Shane wasn't as easily swayed, "And why are you being so helpful?"

"I'm hurt!" Theo said dramatically, putting a hand to his chest. "I didn't want my younger brother and his friends to take the blame for a prank we pulled, but if you don't trust me, then fine! Go down the stairs and face Al's wrath on your own!"

Rolling his eyes, Shane muttered, "All right, already, I get it!"

Alex asked, "How do we get downstairs then without using the main stairs?"

"Simple!" Vin said, walking to the wall furthest away from the stairs and knocking on it three times. A door appeared, and Vin opened it, "After you, my lady!"

Shaking her head and laughing a bit at Vin's shenanigans as she walked through the door, though with a bit of caution. What she'd seen and heard of Theo and his friends was enough to let her know that pranks were apart of how they operated. When nothing happened, she continued walking, and Tina followed after her, Vin then followed, causing Shane to swear under his breath as the door nearly closed on him. He was followed by Simeon and Theo.

Vin said as he caught up with Alex and Tina, "Now there is a slide coming up somewhere along here…I always forget where it…!" He went sliding along with Alex and Tina, all three of them having found the stairs. When Tina shot him a dirty look, having been scared out of her wits by the ride, Alex was shaking, and Vin finished innocently, shrugging his shoulders, "Is."

Alex finally released her laughter, especially after the look Tina gave Vin, before she stood up and stalked towards the outline of a door that she could see in the dark.

Getting to her feet, Alex helped Vin up, though Vin went right back down as Shane, Simeon, and Theo collided with him, "What am I? Your cushion?!"

"Yes," Simeon said, surprising his two friends.

"Now you're getting Simeon!" Theo stated proudly, slapping his friend on the back.

Vin muttered, "Only took two years…"

"Bunch of idiots," Shane muttered to Alex as he stood up, dusting himself off.

"Hey!" All three protested, as they got up as well, having heard Shane's comment.

Tina made an impatient noise in the back of her throat, and Shane actually responded by hurrying over to her before Theo, Vin, and Simeon could get a hold of him. Alex followed him and Tina out into the Main Hall, and she was surprised to find that they had come out right next to the stairs that they would have taken to get up to their dorm.

Theo, Vin, and Simeon hurried them along, Vin stating, "Don't dawdle there or you really will be blamed for our prank!"

With the trio's urging, they were seated just in time to watch the Lupicana H.A.s walk in covered in some sort of slime.

"Don't worry, it's not harmful, just smells to high heaven," Theo said smugly, though he quickly looked down when Albert sent him a deadly glare.

Vin started to snigger as another group walked in, "Seems we got the other houses H.A.s was well on the other stairs!"

When Dylan also walked in with the Hystifor H.A.s covered in slime, Alex and her friends started to snigger as well. They quickly stopped when Headmaster Corbit started walking towards them, not looking very pleased.

"Dang it…" Simeon muttered. "He always knows!"

"Guy has to have eyes in the back of his head or something!" Vin grouched.

Theo added, "Or just eyes everywhere in the castle!"

Headmaster Corbit gave Theo, Simeon, and Vin a hard stare, that had each of them lowering their heads, "You three will be cleaning up the messes you've caused on the stairs, and reporting to Professor Read before you eat dinner tonight. Fifteen points from Lupicana as well for your actions."

"Fifteen?!" Theo, Vin, and Simeon exclaimed. The headmaster merely raised an eyebrow at them and they were silent once more.

"You boys need to start thinking before you do pranks like this. Next time this happens, it will be thirty. The next time sixty," His gaze was still hard. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," they answered.

"Good," His tone didn't soften, even though his gaze did. "Now go start cleaning the stairs." He watched as Theo, Simeon, and Vin headed towards the doors of the Dining Hall. The headmaster sighed, "They'll learn eventually when there's a time for pranks, and when there isn't." He walked down the aisle then, looking between the tables, and stopping every now and then to talk with some of the students.

Not sure if they were supposed to hear what the headmaster had said, Tina commented, "Wow! I don't ever want to cross him!"

"No kidding!" Shane agreed. "Did you see that stare?!"

Alex nodded, "I can see his point though. Other people could get hurt from their prank from slipping on the excess slime."

"Yeah, I suppose," Shane murmured. "I still think that fifteen points from our house was a bit harsh."

Tina asked, "If you'd put up with the three of them for a year, wouldn't you want to make it clear that this time around there would be greater consequences?"

"Good point," Shane actually agreed before he started to grab some food and place it on his plate.

Once they'd finished, they chatted with each other and a some of their fellow Lupicana's before they headed towards their Potions class, which Alex was truly not looking forward to.


End file.
